#N:Era

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Off the Track Part 8: Vixens, They Will Come and They Will Go

Part 8: Vixens, They Will Come and They Will Go

The spirits watched over. Merciless and enraging thoughts flowed through them, hoping they would finally smite their murderer. However, they could feel a tether, as someone pulled out and revealed their bones.

The tails came down and burned, and in their souls, they felt great warmth, a warmth that cauterized the wounds of hate. A blissfulness fell over them as spiritual power left their bones.

Several Thelosts had Vanos pinned down, but they released him, only having power based on misery.

Several passengers had injuries, a few wounds more severe than the rest, however, they were tended to by allies. Dires licked wounds, healing some of the cuts.

The main crimson floated in front of Cyras and said, "Thank you. You have finally found and purified my bones and now I am almost released from this curse.

"My true name is Sylvana. Finish this tale, please, bury me where my body won't be disturbed again. And, avenge us."

The three spirits faded away.

Rosod said, "Amazing. They took their grudge out on everybody, but at the end of the day, they’ve released their negativity by finding inner peace."

"Poetic, right?" Lilu asked Rosod.

Rosod's eyelashes fluttered as she said, "Yes."

Passengers began mumbling amongst themselves about what was next. Cyras jumped on the top of the train and said, "Everybody, please listen."

As she gathered their attention she said, "Look, nothing here went exactly how we thought, but now we can't go back. We can’t return but there is a way forward. That's how a train works." As she stumbled over her words, she tried to muster some inner positivity.

"Who can pilot the train?"

The Violet from the club car raised his hand. "I guess I can."

A couple of passengers began shouting over one another. "Who did this? Who was the murderer?"

"We got him right here," Rosod said, a Twayt in her grasp.

Cyras said, "I've got an idea..."

***

The door of the furnace room opened one last time.

Lilu entered.

Olivine said, trapped in coal, "I know I'm going to jail. However, I can explain, that what I was doing wasn't even wrong. You can't blame me for my grandfather's mistakes."

"You literally nearly got us all murdered, and for what? What was even the point of trying to mess with or disturb this spirit anyway? Do you still need revenge? You need spirit power?"

Olivine wasn't saying anything.

Lilu said, "Well, we can't let you leave with all of that dark magic in your book, and the spirit wanted payback."

"My grandfather is long dead."

Lilu opened the door as a sienna fox walked in. Lilu shut the door. Cyras licked her fangs while the Twayt took a few steps back into the corner. "I haven't eaten anything good this entire trip."

***

The club car brightened the mood with karaoke. Team N:Era, Baynana, and Rosod all took a turn.

Cyras said, "We know this hasn’t been a great night for anyone, but we’ve got a song for you. If you feel like you haven’t gotten what you wanted in life, or maybe you suffer from sour grapes, this is for you.”

Cyras and Rosod stood apart from each other, as Cyras put down the record.

Cyras began singing,

"I stand across the hall.

You say this isn't easy

But easy never felt as good,

You spoke and said some words that I had never heard."

Rosod tapped her thigh in beat.

"I only spoke the words

I felt that were the safest

But safety never felt so wrong

The chains I wrap around when I hold the key are binding."

The song was only building up, but Lilu stared at either girl, seeing the passion burning in Cyras' eyes. Both crimson and fox's voices fused.

"The sun arisen.

Shadows starker

Give me reason

Before you get darker."

Lilu sat back and sipped her tea.

Rosod said, "Well if you really need to know,

About time you started asking yourself

The reason why you ever even cared

When I see you're still playing me, like a game."

Cyras said, "Well if you really need to know

About time you started asking yourself

The reason why you ever even cared

When I see you're still playing me, like a game."

Ahmond and Baynana stared at one another. Ahmond said,

"The lies now bubbling

The truth has stewed

The pain is hobbling

The storm has brewed

“Well if you really need to know,

About time you started asking yourself

The reason why you ever even cared

When I see you're still playing me, like a game- and if you really need to know,

“About time you started asking yourself

The reason why you ever even cared

When I see you're still playing me, like a toy."

The next part was silent, just bass, but Cyras went off-script.

"Vixens come,

Vixens go

Yet I still look at you

And still I say what's wrong

Why can't you tell me what's wrong

You don't understand

I'm not trying to be cruel

I was only answering back when you poked me with your spikes."

The crowd began clapping, amazed at the emotion these two put into their performance, as Rosod glared icily.

"Well if you really need to know,

About time you started asking yourself

The reason why you ever even cared

When I see you're still playing me, like a game-"

Cyras said, her voice shivering in rage, "Yeah yeah yeah, well if you really really need to know

How about time you started asking yourself

The reason why you never never never even cared

When I see you're

STILL

Playing me

Playing me

Like a gaaaaaame!"

The audience applauded at the great performance, while Lilu had already left.

***

Upon exiting the train, Cyras put a coin in the slot. Then she dialed the number for Owlis.

Her eyes narrowed to pinpricks, catching Lilu and Ahmond's attention. They silently stood by her.

"I'm sorry," Cyras said before hanging up. "The palace was attacked, we need to get to a portal back to Lavandar as soon as possible."

Ahmond gasped. Lilu's said, "There are no portals from here to Lavandar. They kept collapsing. We'll have to take a train."

Ahmond and Cyras' ears flattened as they whimpered.

Lilu said, "I'm right! I'm not being a jerk. That's the only way."

"Should we get back on a train ever?" Cyras asked. "And why do the portals keep collapsing?"

Lilu said, "I assume if they knew they'd have fixed the issue."

Vanos walked up and said, "Ahmond, you should be coming with us, stop talking with your friends and get a move on."

"The palace was attacked," Ahmond told him.

Vanos' scanned the area for anyone listening in. He spoke quieter. "You mean Owlis' palace?"

Cyras said, "She wasn't clear on any details, so I assume she wants everything as private as possible. Not even people over the phone can hear us. She also said ‘keep the situation as quiet as possible.’ Officially, the palace had a gas leak and blew up."

"Blew up," Ahmond said, "wow."

Baynana said, "That's amazing."

"I'm not gonna jump this time," Lilu said, "honestly her stealth is awesome. Better than Cyras."

"No, she's not," Cyras said, behind Lilu.

Lilu jumped back. "What the- you were in my sight this entire time, how'd you sneak up on me."

"Speak about my stealth again, I dare you," Cyras said. She shook her head. "Anyway, fine, but the train trip better be short."

Lilu said, "Yeah, a couple of cities away, there should be a portal that should get us to Glacialane. Then we can take that to Lavandar."

Cyras said, "Only a couple of cities away, great..."

Lilu said, "You know what really gets me about that whole trip is we never got an answer from Olivine as to why he was collecting spirit's essence. We also aren't sure about the identity of that other twayt he was within his vision."

Cyras shrugged, as she knew the identity they should be seeking was someone who mattered, the attacker of the palace. She sat by a bench that Rosod was at while Lilu got their tickets.

About to open her mouth, Baynana popped up next to her and said, "Oh here's a comic. Rosod really liked this."

Cyras' eyes narrowed but she took the comic and read through. "I didn't like this."

"Oh well, this really picks up next chapter."

"That's great."

"I think this is a good comic."

"I'm glad you had fun. I just don't find this story to be very interesting."

"You can't judge something by only one chapter."

"The story has to fight to keep me," Cyras said.

Baynana puffed out her cheeks and walked away.

"I can't believe you did that," Rosod said. "I wasn't able to shake her off at any rate."

"Yeah. Well, she has to learn to respect your choices," Cyras said, before giving a more hopeful look at the weasel. "So, I'm sorry about what I said on the train."

"Yeah. Anyway, Baynana's pretty annoying."

"I don't think so."

"You think?"

"No of course not," Cyras said. "I have the same passion for stuff, and mine takes me on day-long spirals. So, are we cool?"

Rosod said, “I'll be real with you. My life's not very easy, just like Lilu’s. My parents aren't terrible. They're doing their best. And school isn't terrible, but everything's catching up."

"I never knew that. I guess that's why you're so-”(mean, crude, and rude,)“-critical."

"I wake up and want to go straight back to sleep. A lot’s happened from this entire year that I've known you, and this isn't all your fault. Just that I need some time to process all that’s happened. Imagine having a sprain that you never healed from because you had to keep walking on a forced march."

Cyras said, "I had some idea that, well,” she would invite Rosod to be a member of Team N:Era, but realized that would overwhelm her. “Yeah, you should figure something out in your life. Take back control.” She put on a smile.

Rosod's mood darkened visibly as her eyes became glossy.

"Ever since I lied for money, my parents have frozen me out. Good thing I saved up my allowance, because, I’m not comfortable telling you more but please just keep one secret.”

Cyras said, "Anything."

“You better be sure.”

“Yes.”

"I'm running away."

Cyras stared at Rosod’s satchel and then at her face. "Oh, I see. Take these with you." She gave Rosod the bones of Sylvana, and she put them with her books.

"Thanks. I have to thank you because you inspired me. I know you stood up to Ryvoh.” Well not exactly. “And you left, as did Lilu with her mom. I guess that works. About time I take my leave." The weasel girl stood up and walked away.

Cyras sat on the bench, numb. A lot was happening this year in her life. Everything went off the track.

Thank you for being part of the finale.

[chimchimekookie-blog]

Imagine Namjoon. -------------------------------------------- Nam:AMOR,VEM AQUI RÁPIDO S/N:O QUE ACONTECEU? Nam:Tira uma foto minha? S/N:Era isso?Vc deu um grito,Só pra eu tirar uma foto sua? Nam:Ai amor,Por Favor-Faz biquinho S/N:Ta bom-Ele te da o celular,Você tira a foto,E depois entrega o celular pra ele. Nam:Ficou muito bom,Obrigado Amor-Te da um selinho,E te abraça.

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Off the Track: Part 4: Will Kryyk Ever Win

Part 4: Will Kryyk Ever Win (No)

Special thanks to KIERAL for Russian Translations for the Violetian language.

The windows of Empress' Palace glowed purple from intense lightning launched at a blue fox.

Kryyk ran through several hallways, nearly tripping on stairs, and jumping over banisters.

Owlis was enjoying the hunt, taking her time. She strolled down the first few steps, and from her first peek at the lower floor, saw a fox who was now trembling underneath a nightstand.

She sent a fireball. Kryyk ran out of the way before the explosion occurred.

The flames died as Owlis walked by. She wielded a pommel of a sword in her mouth, the sharp end crackling with lightning.

Kryyk entered a foyer full of paintings, which had Owlis and Ryvoh and two foxes he didn't know. He paused. Why was his sister on the wall?

He felt something hot near his tail

With a yelp, he jumped out of the way of more flames.

Kryyk stumbled into a room with a grand piano, but there were no door exits. He scratched at the expensive white wallpapers, as Owlis slid into the room.

Owlis slashed with her sword.

Kryyk jumped through the wall.

As both occurred, Kryyk got himself lodged halfway in the wall as Owlis slashed the back of his clothes. His drop-seat dropped. Owlis' raised a brow. "Hmph."

Kryyk felt a slash. Squeaking, he pushed against the wall and pulled himself into another room.

"I have a deposit on this armor I have to pay back, you know!"

"Armor?" Owlis blinked. "Oh, my poor misled child."

Kryyk stumbled near a chair in the mostly green room.

"I actually had tea with Cyras at one point in this room."

"Cyras?" Kryyk asked. "She's still alive."

Owlis' lip curled, then she laughed. "You must be Kryyk, the brother of Ryvoh."

"All I know is you took Ryvoh's life!" Kryyk said.

"We began a brawl," Owlis said, "and I'm not sure how many details after that you witnessed, but I assure you anything I did was in self-defence."

"Why is Ryvoh's portrait on the walls?" Kryyk asked.

Owlis said, "We have much we should talk about. But first, you. Where have you been, and what do you know about where Cyras has been?" She laid on her belly, arms crossed. "Make this story interesting."

Kryyk scanned for an escape but found he wouldn't outrun her anyway.

***

Kryyk and Cyras pushed against each other, grabbing the other's paws with their own, and screaming in their faces. Kryyk tried pushing against the older fox, having more size and power, but she twisted and brought him down.

Kryyk shot up.

Ryvoh, who examined the battle, said, "Now lass, you did good. Kryyk, ya got caught flatfooted."

Cyras said, with a wink, "Don't worry, if Civics ever come here, I'll stab them with a claw," she poked Kryyk on the snout. "And bite their faces." Before Cyras could lick his nose, Kryyk headbutted her in the gut, knocking her on her butt. Ryvoh nodded in approval as Cyras stuck her tongue out.

Later that night, a couple of Civics came by, a hyena and coywolf. Ryvoh spared them, but as they left, so did Cyras. "Civics must have tracked us down," Ryvoh said as she paced back and forth.

Kryyk folded his ears. He had been hunting while the Civics were here, and now his lifelong playmate and family member was gone, perhaps never coming back. "What happens now?"

"We'll play by ear," Ryvoh told him.

***

Kryyk smelled a familiar scent, and a hopeful flutter filled him as he knew that scent was Cyras. He traipsed through some ferns.

"Cyras, is that you?"

Cyras froze but relaxed. However, she was covered in bruises and burns.

"Kryyk." Both butted noses and embraced. "Take me to Ryvoh."

"You look horrible," Kryyk said as he looked her over. Some of her newfound marks resembled electrical burns, as were seen on trees, and she even had a few blisters.

She nodded. "Yeah, I got into a scrap."

Kryyk had many questions but wanted to introduce her back into wildness slow. "My sister and I have been trying to find you for a while now." He leaned against her. He paused and refused to speak for a couple of minutes, though they felt like hours. "Where have you been?"

"I was just-"

"Where have ya been!?"

Ryvoh pounced upon them, glaring at Cyras for her betrayal. Kryyk backed up.

"Well, I was just about to answer that." Cyras smiled faintly. "I was in the society. Sorry."

"If you were sorry, I thought ya'd come back sooner," Ryvoh said, and rolled her eyes. "I oughta give ya forty lashes, lass, except, you look beat. As in, like someone actually gave you a beating."

Cyras stared at the ground. "The Civics. I talked to a couple of them, the ones we had over, and I followed their scents. They taught me about card games, and they showed me food, and they were really hospitable. Until..." Cyras pawed the grass. "They treated me like I was an idiot and they thought I was their pet."

A pet was a horrible fate. Civics treating Wilders like they were toys. Kryyk nuzzled her again, showing her tenderness.

Ryvoh sighed, "Well at least you're back now. What did they do to you?"

"They made fun of me for not knowing anything. They also were planning to pull pranks on me, one even shot me in the bottom with water from a fountain of sorts. Basically, any way to make me look indignant."

Ryvoh nodded with a growl. "Yer safer here than you were out there. Aye, sorry to hear what happened, but this lesson was expected, my girl." Cyras flinched at the last two words. "Who hurt you?"

"Some leader of their society." Cyras said, "Empress Owlis.”

"Get out."

"Huh?"

Kryyk stared at his older sister in shock, his jaw dropped, and Ryvoh repeated, "Leave. Forever, you're part of them now." Ryvoh screamed at her, "Get out!" She blew a bubble, and Cyras dashed away in flames.

Ryvoh shouted, "CYRAS SUMHYR, GO AWAY!"

Kryyk pushed at Ryvoh. "What in the world are you doing?" But Ryvoh pushed him back.

"I am doing what is best for us."

Kryyk never questioned Ryvoh after that point, knowing that anything he said could be the end of him as well.

For the next week or so he remained silent.

***

Without Cyras, life became quieter. Ryvoh told him she wanted to take a walk with him, and they trudged past trees. Sometimes they moved from place to place in the wild, where the hunting was good.

"Um, Ryvoh..."

Upon her glare, Kryyk shrunk.

He heard the sound of rushing water getting closer. Then, he saw a bunch of wooden planks fused together, making a floating platform. He poked with his claw. "This is new."

Ryvoh smiled at him, an empty, faint smile. "Aye, Kryyk, I love you."

Kryyk blinked at her. He didn't feel entirely assured as she had just flipped out on Cyras literally a week ago, but also, she never said the love word.

Ryvoh blew a bubble that encased him. He gasped and pounded on the bubble, but she floated him into the boat.

"Ryvoh! Ryvoh! What's going on with you?"

She pushed the boat and the stream floated him away.

***

Once he was outcast by Ryvoh, he stumbled on a shore. Several lizards stood over him, and they had him registered within the town hall.

Within, several violets as he later learned their names, talked with him. They were known as Scouts, with the highest of scouts being known as the druid, the caretakers of nature.

Giant buildings sprawled around him as did even taller trees, for this town was a monument of nature. Their work with clay let them build near infinitely high and they even connected these amalgamations with bridges.

Not everyone was so nice.

A lizard child held up Kryyk under his arms, but the fox drove claws into his wrists, as the other child picked up a piece of wheat.

Scraping his fox feet against the lizard's scales, Kryyk tried to escape.

The violet child gasped and growled. "Ох, ты мерзкий." (oh, you vile) but the boy reasserted his grip around Kryyk's waist and belly.

However, that was when a taller, slender lizard walked up. Known as the "druid". Both boys froze.

Sliva shouted at the boys, "Да что с вами обоими козявка-едами не так!” (You kids are better, more well-trained than that.) She whip-cracked her tail on the ground, whipping up some mud as the boys dropped him.

"И в следующий раз, когда вы двое приблизитесь к нему, я сверну ваши маленькие шейки", (And this occurrence ends, perhaps I'll tell your parents, so they, will ground you) she shouted at them.

Kryyk stood on all fours as Sliva picked him up gently and put him around her shoulders. Sliva and Kryyk arrived at a cabin, where he was put in a towel and given a cup of hot tea.

Sliva said, in Draconic tongue, "I don't like people. I would much rather be with animals if I'm being honest. Erm." She stared at Kryyk. "Well, Wilders, I guess would be more correct."

Kryyk said, "No kidding, boys are ruthless."

"Those two will be in jail by their birthdays, as they are two troublemakers. Worst of the worst brats."

Kryyk said, "Yeah, hopefully, someone beats them up."

"I don't really believe in hitting," Sliva told him, "I don't really think anyone learns that way."

"Have you ever hit someone with your tail?" Kryyk asked, staring at the large appendage.

Sliva laughed and said, "Yes, many times."

***

Kryyk wandered by a stone bridge, and looked over at the hundreds of buildings, fusing with lights of pinks and purples. He once could see hundreds of stars, but with the light pollution, he only saw dozens.

No bird songs. Instead, he heard horses' hooves and the rattling of carriages. Violets strolled around, as night fell.

Kryyk sneered. He stared at a sign, written in Violetian script. "Stupid language, doesn't even mean anything."

An older male wolf, known as Vinegar said, "Oh that's the town name. Sankt Ovlees, or Saint Owlis."

Kryyk remembered the name, his eyes brightening. "Who is this 'Alice' anyway?"

"She's the empress of Wysdom, an entire empire just north of here, and the Fall Goddess."

Kryyk said, "My friend Cyras met Owlis at some point. I should meet with her."

Vinegar laughed. "Good luck. Unless you break into Lavandar's Palace, you won't be meeting with her."

***

Owlis broke the daydream by saying, "So you took that advice a bit literally."

Kryyk said, "Yup. So..." He stared at all the portraits. "Explain these."

***

The time was night.

The plan was simple enough. Before her fight with Cyras, Rosod sent positive waves, disrupting any ghostly rituals. Afterward, she set a 'presence' which was like a mental tripwire, where if anyone stepped within the room, she would know.

Rosod's eyes glowed pink as she felt the trigger pull. "Someone's entered the furnace room. We've finally got the last part of the trap ready." Ahmond nodded and proceeded back.

Cyras lurked underneath the seats of the sleeping passengers, waiting for a thief's appearance. She progressed forth.

Lilu rammed open the door of the furnace.

Lilu would rush in, and immediately she and Ahmond would take down the criminal. Cyras would take out the front of the train.

This was not exactly how they progressed.

Cyras, with a claw, picked the lock and entered the front of the train. She saw the sleeping runners of the train, whatever their technical name was, before sniffing around. She found a satchel but found no books. Actually, she saw more blinking lights.

Out of interest, she stood on her hind legs and was wondering what would happen if she flicked a switch.

Wait, she paused and went back. Satchel, right. Uh, nothing, but a turkey sandwich. At least someone was eating. Had a little bit of mayonnaise. Cyras hadn't even realized she was holding the sandwich until she felt her saliva dribble down her chin.

Meanwhile, Lilu and Ahmond saw nobody. Except for the two sleeping coal burners. Lilu asked, "If they've been asleep this whole time, who's been fueling the train."

Ahmond said, "I don't think they need to shovel coal the entire way."

"Well if they didn't, would you be back here the entire trip? This place is hotter than the sands of the Ascalonian desert."

Ahmond scrunched her lips. "Yeah. I wonder if they're still alive." She went over and put her ear against one's chest. "They might be. Yeah. Probably... Yeah."

Lilu walked back over, and told Rosod, "Well whoever they are, they must have rushed back. We had our eyes on everything."

Rosod said, "I'll reset the tripwire. Also, you didn't have to bash open the door. You buffoon."

In the corridor were several, rather angry, passengers.

Lilu said, "This is official business, we're trying to figure out the scene of a crime, all of you sleep now."

That caused a murmuring amongst everyone, making them even less sleepy.

Ahmond said, "Sociability is a skill."

Baynana said, "I know right."

Ahmond jumped back. "How long have you been here?"

"I followed you in the furnace. I was woken up by all of you talking and so I thought I should read."

As Rosod saw Cyras, she saw her with mayo on her lips. "Oh good, did you find anything... Cyras, what's that in your mouth?"

Cyras paused.

"Is that someone's lunch?"

Cyras chewed a couple of times.

Rosod ran off Cyras in hot pursuit. However, by the time she caught her, Cyras had already swallowed. "You have an entire palace of food, and you stole someone's sandwich!"

Cyras said, "I don't have food right now-"

"You never think!" Rosod said. "You keep messing up plans because you're impulsive, rash, and to be honest, a brat."

Cyras folded her ears and narrowed her eyes. "You keep messing up plans because you're not as smart as you think you are, and that's why your parents sent you away because they need a dogdang vacation."

"What, did you say."

"Lilu apologized to me for treating me like a pet, you never did. You insulted Ahmond during the entire lie detector debacle. I've even saved your life before and never gotten a thank you. You can keep up with all your little smug comments, but you couldn't save Ahmond, you couldn't stop the lie detectors, and you couldn't even win a card game."

Rosod said, "I'm just, like, playing."

"You don't really act like you're playing," Cyras said.

"I don't have to explain myself," Rosod said, as she scratched her nose. "Like," she cracked her knuckles with her thumb. "You're not perfect either."

"Yes I am," Cyras said, matter-of-factly.

Rosod said, her lip trembling, "You only won that one Towers Tournament because I dropped out and let Lilu win, so there's a big asterisk on that win. You couldn't win if I hadn't dropped out. So I gave you that, that win. I even held the trophy for you when you almost got arrested again."

Cyras glared. "We can prove who would have won. I brought my cards, I know you brought yours. One game."

"Fine. I can't wait to make you apologize for saying such awful things."

Cyras sat at the booth, as Lilu and Ahmond awkwardly sat across.

[saviorfoxowlis]

A good break from drawing is drawing.

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Off the Track: Part 3: Time Cast a Spell

The penultimate car at the rear of the train was the observatory. A few couches sat along long windows.

Cyras sniffed. Rosod was beyond this car, behind the door, in the room where they shoveled coal for the engine. As she was gonna step forth, Lilu said softly, "Rosod's no criminal."

"Well, I'm tracing her scent here. This explains why she ran off earlier, she's busy stealing people's books."

Lilu looked away.

"I'll be back quickly," Cyras said and patted her on the shoulder. Then she licked Lilu's nose, accidentally knocking the hyena on her rump. "See ya!"

Cyras entered the engine car, the last few notes of jazz playing in her ears. A red glow permeated on the walls, shadows flickering from the open flames. Next her were the workers, both sooty and knocked out.

Rosod stood at the opposite end, by the coals, flames sharpening her shadows. "I wasn't expecting you here." The weasel held a staff out, her hands at the rear and middle of the stick.

"I guess we all knew this was coming," Cyras said.

As Rosod prepared a witty retort, Cyras leaped at her and landed on her face.

Rosod stumbled and threw her off. Blood dripped from her scratch marks.

While the otter was still dazed, Cyras' worked a piece of coal. With her earth magic, she flung the chunk.

Rosod whirled and sliced the coal with her staff. With low and long steps, Rosod thrust at Cyras.

Baring her fangs, the red fox hopped around, however, the bipedal weasel bonked Cyras in the knee. The fox backed up, feeling now the warmth of the fireplace at her rear.

Most thrusting power came from Rosod's left hand at the base, showing she had technical prowess, certainly a student.

Rosod flicked a pink string - a strand of psychic magic - that wrapped around Cyras, before throwing her at the fireplace.

Cyras gasped as she hit the metal burning within. Flames washed over her.

Rosod illused herself, seeming twice as tall as before. With a whoosh, dozens of Rosods encircled Cyras.

Cyras felt tightness in her chest, her hackles raising, however, only one had any real scent. Two stone pillars shot up and wrapped around the real Rosod's feet.

As the real Rosod waved her arms in circles, the mirages swung or thrust at Cyras in arcs and pokes, but all hit and smacked her on the floor. She wasn't expecting any substance, so she writhed and kicked a few times.

The Rosods rose their staffs up once more.

Cyras' gaze flitted between them. Her body tensed. And she summoned flames from her core, pushing out in a hot sphere, shattering the mirages.

Real Rosod swung her staff, but Cyras jumped atop. She rolled off, before presenting her rear and shaking. "Sour Grapes, may make you whine."

Trembling with fury, Rosod assumed steer guard. She one-handedly swung her staff overhead, like a helicopter propeller, at Cyras' bottom, however the fox zoomed away.

Catching her staff with the other hand, Rosod returned to middle guard. She jabbed and broke off pieces of coal shackles.

Cyras began dancing to inaudible jazz music.

Rosod glared at her, and stepped forward, a little unsteady with a thrust. But Cyras rolled and kicked up with both feet against the staff.

Rosod got another firm grip, both thumbs pointing at each other, but Cyras sang.

"You're living in a fairy tale

But you ain't looking so well

You're hiding behind your sooty coaly dwelling.

"Who would ever join this cell

When you got no chance in hell,

You think you're calm but you're expression ain't selling."

Cyras swung away from another thrust as she did an impromptu jazz monologue. Stomping and swinging her tail in beat, her voice rang out, "Sour Grapes, may make you whine. Power games like you're a swine. For this staff fighting soul, has been refused and been retrained, I am a force of nature, you're just a stain."

Rosod gave another one-handed thrust, poking the fireplace. With a flaming weapon, the crimson swung her staff but got caught by a tail. Cyras jazzed her body in flames.

"When I'm strolling you're just walking. When I'm singing you're just talking."

The weasel twirled her staff, but the tail pulled her in. A coal pillar launched from the stack, pushing forth a red blur. In the sky, Cyras uppercut Rosod.

Rosod fell back.

Cyras fox jumped on her chest for good measure, earning no response from the knocked-out crimson lump.

Cyras cut open Rosod's travel equipment with her claw.

No papers, just some books. However, Cyras saw a book marked as "journal" and opened up, as Lilu said that's where deep and dark secrets are.

A pulse of pink shot the book out of her paws. Wincing at the flash, Cyras turned her head and saw Rosod getting back on her feet. "Stop stealing books, Cyras. Especially ones that aren't yours."

"I'm surprised you're the one talking about stealing books, Rosod."

The weasel squinted. "Unless you're after me for undue library books, I've never stolen a book before, and I got my fines paid off after I saw what happened with Ahmond last summer."

Cyras thought back to last summer near her birthday when Ahmond didn't pay off her fines and got spanked by the government. Good times.

"Oh," Cyras said.

"I came here because I thought the person who stole them would come here."

"Why a furnace?" Cyras asked, looking at the flaming pit and all the coal around them.

"I'll explain over mealtime. I've got my work done," Rosod said.

***

Ahmond saw Cyras and Rosod sit next each other at the dining car, either sporting bruises. "Oh, uh, how are you?"

Rosod said, "Oh, I just tripped a few times." A mark underneath her chin was bruised purple. She couldn't speak very well, and felt like holding her jaw, but didn't want to expose her weakness.

Cyras said, "Turns out Rosod's been trying to find out who the main thief is as well. But there's not anybody who runs up and down the train who would be in everybody's luggage."

"You mean," Lilu said, "like a ticket taker."

Rosod sucked on her lower lip, and said, "Yup, that would make sense."

Cyras ate at her deviled eggs, ripping into them, but seemed annoyed at the lack of food and sustenance. "That was barely anything." While she had grown accustomed in the wilds towards eating scraps, she still wanted her stomach full.

Rosod said, "They bring meals in courses. That's only the first course, known as the appetizer, which is supposed to make you hungrier. I figured you'd be taught this by now."

Lilu said, "Wait, Cyras, you and Owlis ever eat out at a restaurant?"

"I think Owlis has only been out of that palace twice since I met her." Cyras laughed. "Imagine, the Empress out eating a burger. Anyway, so Rosod may know what's going with the books."

"Yes, so I'm not a ritualist, but my sister is-"

Baynana scooted up next Rosod.

"Personal space," Rosod said.

"Sorry," Baynana said, as she scooted away, and sat next Lilu.

"Anyway, so lots of ghostly summons require flames, books of arcane power, and silver."

Lilu said, "Yes because Baynana's book is full of arcane power."

Baynana crossed her arms. "Yeah well, I hate whoever took my book. That was one of the best parts of the entire series, because, you see, that was the point the tengus appeared. And the tengus were this presence that existed hundreds of years prior but are now extinct."

Cyras tuned her out as the girls feigned interest. In a way, she wondered how they couldn't block people out the same way as she was so great at phasing out reality that she wasn't even present during talks involving her.

Rosod said, "Okay, anyway, so like, silver and mirrors help hold negative, dark spirits. The flames weaken the negative powers so they’re tameable. However, with my psychic powers, I disturbed the area, by sending out some positive waves."

Baynana said, "I was thinking of learning ice magic."

"Good for you," Rosod said, earning a glare from Ahmond. "Anyway, we'll learn who our specter is shortly, as I set a trap."

The train brought along the next course, as an apology for the pathetic morsel they fed Cyras before. Before the server even left, she was on that plate like divorce bills on a high roller.

Rosod watched the massacre with unpleasantness. "Cyras, you're supposed to taste the food. That's chef quality. That's a masterpiece on that plate."

Cyras said, "A masterpiece on the plate is a ruined gallery in my stomach, you do not starve a fox the same way you do not poke a hyena's spots. You do not slingshot stones at a cannon! ...I'm so hungry."

Baynana said, "Did you finish the book?"

Rosod pulled out the comic and read the last couple of pages.

Baynana waited for Rosod to stop reading the next book in the series, which the weasel girl finished with a grin of relief. The wolf said, "Was a really good book, I see you're smiling."

"Yes. I am very glad to have seen the ending of the book."

"So," Cyras said, "We need a plan on stopping this dark arcanist."

Rosod said, "I have one, and this will involve you."

***

Stars were lonesome.

Cyras used to look up at the night sky with her cousins, Ryvoh and Kryyk. Ryvoh never said anything, but Kryyk would ask what she thought stars were, and how far away they were.

"Well, clouds cover them. I'm guessing at least a hundred miles away."

"I think stars are probably powerful. Perhaps they're the gods that some wilders talk about."

Cyras rolled her eyes. "I doubt that."

"Come on," Kryyk sat up. "Tell me why you don't believe in gods or greater powers. You're so technical and scientific." He threw his arms out. "What about all of the wonders of this world, like how a single mushroom is actually a part of a secret network that is really just a giant mushroom? Think about how the river flows from a mountain, or how high the ground goes up. Are you telling me you never wonder about more?"

Cyras said, "That's why I never wonder. I'm satisfied with what is, and you need more, more, more. This is enough. Beyond us is a mountain, and then a river, and then beyond that, an ocean. And the mysterious lands of the Civics."

"I wonder if any of the Civics are gods," Kryyk said. "Maybe that's why Ryvoh tells us stay away. How big do you think the world is anyway?"

"No telling," Cyras said, "Probably at least a few hundred miles."

Now, Owlis sat by her lonesome in her bed, in an odd stillness that pulsed. She was never alone.

She heard paw steps on a soft rug, and she realized even now she wasn't.

Owlis got out of bed, her ears rising.

A blue fox attacked, a knife in his hands.

Owlis' felt anger warm herself as she turned. She grabbed him by the wrist and arm, jerking his grip. Swerving her hips, she threw him against the floor.

He stared at her with a grimace and growl. Cyras' age, wearing... soft sleeping clothes? Green specifically.

However, as he stood up, the purple fox shoved her hip in his stomach and hip tossed him again.

Kicking in pain, the interloper's knife clacked on the wood panels. Owlis figured she'd stop this intruder's plan when he rushed through her legs. Slipping underneath the taller fox, he grabbed and drew the weapon. He swung at her.

Owlis easily dodged his first slash. As he took another slash, she grabbed his wrist and hand with her paws. She grabbed the butt of the knife and plunged the weapon into herself.

No pain and no flinching. The boy stared deep at her heartless, hazel eyes. Owlis twisted and threw the knife out. "That's how you hold a knife, Wilder. I need to know your name."

"Uh, why?" Kryyk was wondering.

"For your hospital bills."

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Off the Track: Part 2: Gone Her Way

The train rushed through the tracks within the wilds of Rosaberg.

Cyras pressed against a glass window, smushing her face and paws like a flattened marshmallow. This "temperate" forest was quite different from the jungly forest she grew up in, as she saw a sparse amount of trees. Leaves carpeted the floor, whether green and new or orange and dry.

The club car commenced a new activity. Saxophones performed with flutes and some kind of percussion instrument. Cyras knew drums, drums, and drums, for she wasn't well-classed in music. Wilder songs weren't much of anything. She made up some beats herself when she was with Ryvoh and Kryyk, but never these complex melodies.

Baynana began rambling about comics. She poked at Rosod and said, "This comic is known as The Grass is Green."

Rosod's eyes were half-lidded, a fact Baynana couldn't register, and she cracked all her knuckles with her thumb.

Baynana said, "You see, the idea is there's this girl born with a magic power. She sees gaps in reality and can see past this illusion that's caused by these mole creatures."

"Oh cool, racism against Bohs."

"No, the comic is not racist!" Baynana said, rolling her eyes.

"I was just joking."

"I wasn't laughing," Baynana told her. The emphases in her inflection took Rosod by surprise. "The book was actually written by a Boh, and the main character is a Boh, and the country is a Boh country. Naturally, lots of Boh-based ideas, and the creatures are like Bohs."

"Whatever. What's with the name."

"The illusion is broken by having green eyes."

"Neat," Rosod said, having green eyes and red fur. Green was a fairly rare color in Voto and Vytyl, and she never met anyone with green fur before.

"You should try reading this," Baynana said.

The cover of the book wasn't particularly inviting, showing a Boh girl who was running through the wilderness, holding a broadsword.

Lilu snickered. "Rosod's got herself a little friend."

Cyras wasn't paying attention as she shimmied from left to right. And as she got to one direction, she'd flip her fur tufts clockwise. Go right, flip her fur and tail counterclockwise.

Lilu had a mane instead of fur tufts.

"Yo, Cyras," Lilu said as she stepped by her and attempted dancing with her. However, Cyras was way better, Lilu wasn't mobile.

Lilu took a step left and a step right. She felt envious of Cyras' fur, so sleek and smooth.

"How do you keep yourself so clean?"

"Usually with water."

Lilu wasn't armed to the teeth, but her teeth were armed. However, before she could give a corrective bite, Baynana gasped piercingly, catching everyone's attention. "Where's 27?"

"After 26," Lilu told her, as sarcastic as Cyras.

"No," Baynana said, "I'm seeking a comic book, and one was known as 27, and that's the one I was gonna review." She whispered, "Gonna review, yeah."

Lilu shrugged. "You probably forgot the comic."

"No, I brought the 27 here. Someone else must have grabbed my comic. Has anyone been acting suspicious lately?"

"Well," Rosod said, "I saw someone in a hood who was walking by, stealing peoples reading materials."

"Really?" Baynana asked.

Rosod put her paw on her forehead.

"We need to figure out who took my book!"

Cyras was working on the mystery of stealing the show, until Lilu said, "That's part of our purview as Team N:Era."

"You just hate dancing," Cyras said.

"Yup." Lilu grinned. "Now let's go."

***

Each Ascended had the power of disguising herself. However, instead of altering their appearance, they altered the perceptions of those looking at them. Ryvoh used this power on Ahmond and Lilu so they wouldn't know she was an Ascended queen when they met her. The spell was simple and subtle, and Owlis weaved through the crowds and came back with several cheeseburgers. She hoisted herself up the stairs.

Then the phone rang.

Owlis picked up. Usually someone else would answer the phone, and she didn't want to be known as vulnerable, therefore she mimicked an accent. "Hollo, who is this?"

She overheard a whisper. "Oh, not this Twayt again. I can barely understand her stupid accent."

Owlis raised a brow. Foxes had ears sensitive enough she could hear the blood flowing in veins, much less Jazmyn who whispered in uppercase.

"Bring me Owlis on the phone. This is Jazmyn Caesum, Queen of Sandrun."

"Okay dokay, I'll be getting Imperial Majesty Owlis." She took a few false steps before realizing what would be the best prank of all time. Owlis pushed her tongue out towards her teeth and dropped her soft palate. Speaking as nasally as possible with a childish tinge, she said, "Yeah, who is this?"

"I am looking for Owlis," Jazmyn said. She muttered, "These bunches of morons."

"Well Owlis told me, Cyras, I'd better answer the phone," Owlis said. The slight problem was she couldn't get her voice quite right. Owlis always said "ah" sounds like o's, like, "onswer", also she enunciated her t's more than Cyras.

"You don't sound like Cyras," Jazmyn said.

"You don't sound like a woman, specklebutt." Forming a Cyras-esque insult required letting the words out with full force like a cannon.

"I am here to talk about an adult matter that a child, much less a Wild one, could understand, so get your cousin for this, or else I'll be telling her you've been insulting me."

"I didn't insult you, nature insulted you, I was simply observing." Wow, Owlis thought, Cyras could really slay someone with her words. "Also we found out the source of the blockages of water in South Sandrun and turned out this was because there was a cold front. Somebody musta left your soul somewhere in the dam. Now you listen here and you listen good-" Wait, she was slipping back with the Owlisian voice. "Nobody makes fun of Cyras Sionnachigans Sumhyr."

"You're just a child. Where is a competent adult?"

"Of course you would need a competent adult. I'm just saying, the only ones you've got is a few guards who are apparently good for licking themselves, instead of being good with back rubs. Now, we either have one, need none, or want none, pick the answer you like, and shut your spot mouth."

Owlis hung up the phone.

***

Cyras the true approached Ahmond, who was asleep. She shook her awake.

Ahmond blinked and asked, "Cyras, what's going on?" She pushed her paws out.

"Give us the comic," Cyras told her, a yellow wolf pouting behind her. Apparently, puffing the cheeks ran in the Ice Cream Pack.

Ahmond rolled her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about, I didn't steal her comic."

"I didn't say you stole my comic!" Baynana said, then she got a smug smirk like she had proven herself. "I didn't even say a comic was stolen."

Ahmond said, "If you come up to me, asking for the comic, I assume you assume I have the comic. I don't."

Lilu said, "Let's be real here, I doubt she reads."

"No, I don't." Ahmond narrowed her eyes. "Wait."

Cyras hopped up on a passenger seat, getting as high as she could. She put a paw over her eyes like a buccaneer. "Well someone must have Baynana's comic somewhere. And Rosod's handmirror."

Lilu said, "Wait, if you're doing this for school, you normally carry books, right, like, specific books."

"Yes, almanacs, and I guess, sometimes I walk around with casual reading."

"Yeah, so what if someone's jacking books and they grabbed your mirror by mistake."

Rosod said, "That's crazy." She walked back, giving Baynana a quick tap on the flank with her fingertips so she'd know she should follow.

Lilu shrugged. "Sounds like a great theory to me, and gives us something we can pretend to do while we go to sooo-fist-i-cated Rosaberg."

Ultimately, after twenty minutes, they could form no leads. Scent wasn't a great tool as odors wouldn't stick on mirrors or books, and no one would let someone sniff their sacks.

The hyena said, "Have you tried asking if anyone's seen anything suspicious?"

Cyras said, "Not really. But I feel like that would get the perp sweating."

Lilu said, "I'll go and see if I can find anything that seems weird, then I'll join you for dinner."

"Ah, five-course meal," Cyras said.

As Lilu walked past, she hip-bumped Rosod, who gave an animated shriek and curved away. "Watch yourself," Rosod said.

Baynana asked Rosod, "Are you gonna read more?"

Rosod stared at the comic and said, "Wasn't really my thing."

"Oh, the first part isn't enough," Baynana told her, "you really should read more."

"I mean, like, I'm just not interested in this type of story," Rosod said. "Seems like the girl is just some girl." The weasel had enough tact she didn't say "this girl was interestingly boring."

"You really need to read a little bit of a story before you get anything," Baynana told her. "This is honestly one of the best comics that I've ever read, and the story gets great."

"I'm just uninterested in all of this nonsense."

"Makes way more sense in a bit."

"Eh yeah, okay."

"Just one more volume," Baynana told her.

As Baynana was talking Rosod's ear off, Lilu searched for Ahmond who had moved on up towards coach. The coywolf was talking with her brother.

"I already said no, I didn't steal the comic book."

Vanos waved at Lilu.

Lilu wasn't ever charmed by Vanos as much as most girls were. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and gave a short wave back. "No Ahmond, there's something weird going on."

"Two people misplaced their handmirror or comic book. I think that's actually pretty good for a train."

"Well, how often are you on a train?"

"Very often," Ahmond said. I have family in Saint Owlis, so I take a train. I also have family in Ralax, so I take a boat."

Lilu blinked as she never thought about Ahmond vacationing. Her entire family wasn't on the edge of poverty, but they certainly weren't flossing. "How do you afford all of that?"

"We don't."

"Ohhh..." Lilu paused. She asked Vanos, "Are you all really that poor?"

"You don't have to worry about us," Vanos said, "we know what we're doing, and how to handle our money." Clearly not. Owlis actually got involved with how they handled money in the past.

Lilu tilted her head. "What about Baynana?"

Ahmond said, "Her family is of a better salesman status than us."

"Swindlers," Vanos muttered.

"Vanos," Ahmond said.

"No, he's right, don't censor him," The wolf-hyena Kyofi said. "He is absolutely right, that Paenut and Honae are big grifters. They keep scamming people, selling moo cream as baabaa cream."

"That's higher quality," Lilu said.

"Yup, and that's a misrepresentation of dairy."

Ahmond said, "That's why they've been thrice removed."

"That doesn't, Ahmond, that's." Lilu shook her head. "That's not what that means."

Mosor, Kyofi, Vanos, and Ahmond all stared at Lilu. They literally meant thrice removed from the family.

The hyena Lilu said, "Oh." As she walked back down the aisle, she saw a book on the floor. She sniffed the cover.

The Twayt at the seat said, "Hey, that's my book, why was that on the floor!?"

Lilu grimaced but then grinned in joyous discovery. "I'll need to borrow this book for the moment so we can figure out a thief."

The bird realized, "You're a member of that one team who helped take out the lie detectors. You're part of N:Era." Lilu smirked and nodded at the surmisal, having been glad someone appreciated her. Unlike Ahmond and Cyras.

"Correct," Lilu said, "I am Lilu, leader of Team N:Era."

Lilu turned back down the train. She stood by Cyras and said, "Good news, I've got the scent from the book, but the problem is, I can't quite pin who this is. Smells kinda like a Crimson."

Cyras sniffed and said, "Rosod. The one who stole the book is Rosod."

Lilu said, "That was quick."

"I just sniffed the book," Cyras said. She was attuned with all her senses, being a Wilder. Present and aware.

Lilu said, "Oh wow. Uh, are you sure?" She scratched her mane.

"More positive than a battery's butt," Cyras told her.

Lilu said, "Rosod's in the back of the train at the observatory car. I don't know how you want to approach her, or what we're gonna say."

"Hand over the book or you get the hook," Cyras said.

Lilu bit her lower lip and looked at her eyelids while bobbing her head. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Off the Track: Part 1: Thunder and Rain

Slaughterhound Studios presents:

N:Era: Off the Track

Part 1: Thunder and Rain

The shop of the Freezers, never busy except when inappropriate.

Ahmond bustled as the lunch rush hustled in, each stampeder salivating for a drop of ice cream. Her cousins organized a trip in the back of the shop, leaving only the lone coywolf at the counter. In a panic, Ahmond gave the one who wanted banana a chocolate ice cream, the one who wanted chocolate got vanilla, and the one who wanted vanilla got a spoon.

Kyofi worked in the main kitchen with hot grease and fries. The waft flew over where Ahmond was, getting some of the angry audience frenzied.

"Hurry up, you lazy Mary," one Violet shouted.

"I'm trying as best as I can, but currently our plans are not going as we... planned and I'm only one wolf."

A Twayt shouted, "We'd have gotten quicker service at the bank!"

"Well, the bank has something we don't: Money."

A Crimson said, "My kids haven't eaten in THREE days!"

"I'm going as quick as I- huh?"

The customers rampaged over the counter as the coywolf succumbed in the lunch rush, hearing their feet come down like drums of war.

Cyras bounced down the street, with Lilu strolling. Both held first-class tickets for a train, as Owlis gave Team N:Era a meeting with Bhrook: Queen of Rosaberg., so they could meet her personally. Cyras suspected Owlis just didn't like her little sister.

However, she saw an unusual sight, of a feral Crimson stomping on the roof of Freezer's, carrying Ahmond overhead. Folding a blue ear against her long fur tufts, the fox questioned if this was usual.

Lilu said, "About time someone called her out for her poor service. Honestly, I wish that could be criminally punished." The hyena held her paw out, sitting on her back legs. "Been pushing for that law in the Sandrun lawbooks, and since I'm the Princess, I think I should be allowed to just have anyone arrested when I want."

Cyras tutted. "You can't arrest someone for being stupid - oh right, Ahmond." Earth magic ran through her. She willed a blast of earth forward and struck the weasel. As she watched the tool shatter in pieces, she also saw the piece of earth bounce off.

Ahmond dropped from the roof, shrieking. However, Cyras held her arms out. Then, realizing she had no chance of carrying Ahmond, and the fact that she was only maybe three feet tall on her hind legs meanwhile the roof was 20 or so feet so all she would be doing was make the fall three feet less-

Ahmond fell behind her.

"I'm okay!"

Lilu said, "As is just."

Cyras said, "I guess you ran out of peanut butter again."

"Not that," Ahmond said as she climbed out of the crater, and brushed the dust off of her coat. "The main problem is there's a lunch rush, and we're still preparing for the trip."

Lilu raised an eyebrow. "Uh, why exactly are all of you waiting for the trip? The idea is just the three of us N:Era girls."

Ahmond said, "We're thinking about moving."

Lilu said, "Oh, why?"

Cyras said, "Well yes, you should move for the train."

"No no," Ahmond said, "moving refers to the idea of going from one house to another house, finding somewhere else you can live."

"Oh, so like there's a drought in your area," Cyras said.

"Um, no," Ahmond said.

"There's a lack of food in your area."

"Still no."

"So Civics just go from one territory they've lived at, and enter another territory," Cyras said.

"Yes," Ahmond told her.

Cyras' eyelids fell. "Outstanding." The Wildborn girl would never understand some of the expansive waste by Civics, and in some way, she hoped she never would.

Ahmond said, "We aren't getting a lot of business at our shop here-" The Lunch rush mob began throwing chairs. "-And even though our ice cream is high quality, no Sunny villain wants to pay the prices. In Rosaberg, we might have a bigger audience. Rosabergians are of higher tastes."

Lilu said, "Yeah. Anyway, wanna come with us?"

Ahmond said, "Sure."

The three walked away from the site of a brutal massacre of the other three residents of the restaurant. Their screams were mixed with the roars of the mob.

Those screams were almost as loud as the roar of the train. The horn obliterated all competing noises. Ahmond hopped up on the station pavement with Cyras (who was now atop Lilu, hackles raised) and Lilu (who was now annoyed by the fox on top of her) and waited for Kyofi and Vanos, and Mosor.

Cyras shouted, "Could they have made that any louder!?"

Ahmond said, "In the poor parts of the town, they have to hear that all the time. Anyway, everyone has their tickets. Their identities. Their walkst-whilst-talks?"

Lilu said, "No Mom, just brought a coloring book and a packet of sugar."

Cyras hopped off of Lilu - the hyena shook her mane - and said, "Oh, your family is with somewolves."

Ahmond turned around and held a breath. With Mosor, Kyofi, and Vanos was a little yellow non-hybrid wolf, with spiky little fur atop her head. With a recognizing glance, Lilu shied away as well.

The wolf bounced over to Ahmond. "Howdy, Ahmond."

Ahmond said, "Um, hello Baynana. I wasn't expecting you."

"Mom and Dad got me a back seat so I could be with you."

"First class," Ahmond corrected as she set off for the back of the train. A rumbling whoop came from behind, and by the time she looked, Lilu stood by her flank. "Woah, chocolatenut." Chocolatenut was a translation of Ahmond's middle name as Lilu never remembered the actual word. "What part of this trip is supposed to just be us N:Era girls are you not understanding, because I'm seeing you coming by with some lost forlorn child."

Lilu's breathed audibly and rolled her eyes.

"Look, she means well."

"She wanders and gets lost. Do you know how hard this is to calm my screaming mother down when she finds out someone took a bath in her shower. We still have a shower attendant."

"Well at least your safer," Ahmond said.

Through gritted teeth, "Sometimes I still get sponge baths!"

Ahmond relented. "Even worse, she's been ranting about comics and I love comics, but, I love comics. And she hates them. And then she shows me her Popperball Collection and tells me all about this stupid sport." Ahmond glanced back over her shoulder at Cyras.

While Cyras also had problems understanding social cues, this was because she was born in the jungle, a wilder. But Baynana was different. Even worse, Cyras was blunt and direct, and if Baynana got on her nerves, the fox may yell. Both girls had poor impulses.

Cyras' voice played like a phantom in a studio. "Baynana, your comic is absolutely the worst thing that I have ever read and I never want to talk to you again. I have never read something so disgusting, so revolting, and so opposing. Quite literally, everyone here is stupider for this comic existing. Also, your spiky fur is stupid." And then, Cyras may begin slapping Baynana's cheeks just like Empress Owlis. That must run in the family.

Ahmond picked up her pace.

***

Cyras joined the best amenity of first class, the club car, where she sat at the bar. "I'm ready for partying!"

Behind the counter, a twayt bird filled in drinks, while a violet in a tuxedo carried a tray of muffins.

Lilu sat next her on a red stool and asked, "So what's up at the club car?"

"Apparently a tea party. Owlis and I have these all the time, and same with Ahmond, but they both are different," Cyras said. "I always found that odd. Owlis pours in the milk, then the tea, but with Ahmond, she always goes tea, then milk."

Lilu got off the chair. "Gross, tea sucks."

Cyras stuck her tongue out. "Fine, I'll just tea with Ahmond." She sniffed and knew she got some mint. The steam rose up, and curled, in just the way she liked and was comfortable with.

The train roared again, and she almost flipped her drink. Then she felt the rumbling of the earth underneath her, which got way smoother.

"So this is a moving train."

"Yeah, genius."

Cyras glared at the interloping Rosod. "I know that nasally voice anywhere, as if I couldn't tell by the big footsteps I was hearing."

Rosod said, "I knew you'd be on this train when I could smell the dork in the air."

Cyras said, "Actually why are you on this train? I didn't know they were exiling people for being annoying, though I have pushed for that measure." Lilu gave her inspiration for that snipe. "Then again if anyone knew the intended, I'm certain they would expedite the process."

Rosod said, "...Okay Cyras, calm down, geez."

"You're the one who started with that sarcastic jibe about me being a genius."

"Fair enough. Anyway, I'm on a diplomacy trip myself, as my parents thought if I was gonna say I was going to Rosaberg, I should go to Rosaberg."

During Summer, Rosod may, or may not, have lied and told her parents she going on a field trip for Rosaberg so she could get some cash.

A yellow wolf appeared and said, "Howdy, I'm Baynana." Cyras' whiskers flicked as she leaned for a quick sniff, but got bopped by an errant tail. Baynana sat on a stool. "I know you, Rosod, but who's the new girl?"

"I'm the Empress' first cousin. The lack of people who can recognize me after the amount of times I've saved the Empire is honestly getting annoying."

Rosod said, "Nobody thinks they're talking with a celebrity, Cyras. Especially with how much mingling you do with the mortals."

Cyras rolled her eyes. "No one's immortal. So what if dires live a really, really long time and so what if Owlis has lived for 12000 years. She just avoided death that long."

Rosod told her, "Ascended come back to life any time they die."

"She really doesn't believe in gods, does she?" Baynana asked.

Cyras clicked her tongue.

Ahmond slid in, her haunted expression shifting slightly as she had a forced smile. "Oh, Baynana. You've met Cyras. She's a Wilder who's come over, and Cyras, you've met my cousin Baynana."

Baynana said, "Wow, a Wilder. So you actually sniff butts?"

As Ahmond's face reddened, Lilu laughed. With an amused grin, Cyras said, "Well... we try at least until people sit down on stools."

Rosod shouted. "Someone stole my mirror. That sucks."

Lilu said, "You probably just forgot."

"No," Rosod said, "that mirror has a silver rim and I was looking through the glass literally only a minute ago."

***

Empress Owlis unleashed Cyras, letting her have some alone time. She never pushed Cyras in learning her powers or about her family, however, she hoped this trip would get Cyras interested. Still, forcing her was unacceptable, and if Cyras remained ignorant about her mother, well, that was her choice.

The purple fox opened up the newspaper and looked over a few headlines. Responsibly she should read each story, but some weren't interesting.

Even with her immortality, some events caught her off guard. Because she knew everything, if she saw something she never saw before, she'd go, "why didn't I think of that?"

"Someone's invented a cleaner that sucks up dust. Fascinating, however, I doubt anyone will buy that. I think they'd rather just sweep the floor than manipulate a machine called a 'vacuum cleaner'."

Even weirder, someone had invented a refrigerator recently. Owlis flicked an ear. She wasn't sure why the method of ice enchantment was foregone, still, science and technology kept going uselessly.

Owlis felt like having some tea with her news, so she walked down the hallways, alerted by a lack of workers. "Where is everybody?"

She entered the dining room, raising an ear so she could hear something but she saw nobody. "I guess I'll starve."

Back upstairs, she found the governor's book. Apparently, everyone got a vacation. She growled and bared her fangs as she knew the governor was getting immediately terminated, and worse, they would be losing their jobs.

"Guess I'll get fast food," Owlis said with a shrug. Now that her options were less limited, she'd probably get some fried chicken. She licked her fangs. She hadn't been allowed to eat anything that would compromise her weight in a few years.

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Where We Lie Finale Part 8: Piece of Cake

A box sat between Cyras and Daybreak, attached to them with nodes and modules. Everyone stared at the stage, as Cyras explained, "So here are the rules: If you tell a lie, you get shocked with a million volts."

Daybreak shrugged and said, "Oh, I am insanely truthful."

"Great, let's begin," Cyras said. "Since I challenged, I'll go first. Tell me, why did you make this machine?"

Daybreak said, "Well that's hardly a true or false question. Ahem, I mostly made this machine because I thought this would benefit the kingdom. The empire really." Smirking, he kept measured breaths. Practicing meditation hid his lies as truths.

"Now your turn, Cyras. Why don't you explain why you faced me in this game?"

"Because you're a liar who's scamming people."

Daybreak blinked at how blatant she was. "I'm not a liar..."

Cyras asked, "So Daybreak, how about you tell me what makes this machine accurate?"

"The machine goes based on biometrics, such as heart rate, sweat, and nervousness."

"So someone could be nervous and this would still trigger the machine even if they weren't lying. Or vice versa."

"You only get one question," Daybreak said.

"That wasn't a question; that was a statement," Cyras said, saying a semicolon for authoritative effect.

"Okay, well here's my question, is this true that you're a Wilder?"

"Yes."

"So maybe someone like you shouldn't expect that you would know how a machine like this works when you barely know how any technology works."

"I don't need to know how to operate technology when I know Orch who can work a videotape," Cyras said, as Orch carted in a television.

Daybreak's eye ridges furrowed as Orch came with a tape, which he inserted through a slot. He pressed play but said, "Oh right," and he pressed the rewind button.

A couple of wolves looked at their watches.

Orch pressed play.

"I don't care if a bunch of morons are getting scammed. This is me getting back at everyone in the world who has spat on me. Engineers like me, tech developers, creators, are the future. The rest of you are simply nipping at my heels. Yes, the lie detectors are faker than a politician's promise, but you better believe I would rip off everyone here a dozen times if that means progress. You can refuse to join me, but think of that as your loss."

Cyras ripped off her nodes before winking at him. "Gotcha."

Daybreak began ripping off the nodes, trying to escape a million volts. "You turned on me, Orch!"

"I mean, there's a security camera in the shop," Orch said with a shrug.

Lightning was instantaneous. "I haven't been shocked yet." Daybreak thought he was safe until he saw the sparking fur of Empress Owlis.

"Goodbye, Daybreak," Owlis said.

A bolt of divine lightning rained down. The screaming began as the audience, even Orch, glared. However, after the first few flashes, Orch raised an eye ridge, and his mouth went slightly agape in increasing horror. Lilu and Rosod held out longer but soon became just as shocked. Not as literally.

At the last flash, Cyras said, "Wow, that burnt smell makes me think of barbecue. Let's get going for some of them meats!"

The audience kept murmuring.

Cyras rolled her eyes and stood at the podium. "Excuse me, I have something to say."

Silence fell.

"I know a lot of you are afraid of the events you've seen transpire today and you don't know who you can trust. You were given objectivity where there was none, light where there was only dark. However, no one can tell you the truth.

"Whether you know this or not, you're all big fat liars. You lie all the time. I have a friend who is telling me all these Owlis stories, I have one friend who said her mom called her fat, and her mom says 'oh I approached her peacefully' when we all know you didn't."

Jazmyn and Lilu's eyes bulged.

"I have one friend who faked a field trip permission slip."

Rosod's parents glared at her as she said, "Oh, thanks Cyras."

"Even if I showed you a recording, you would all have different interpretations of those events. We omit stuff when we tell stories from our perspectives. Maybe my friend's mother isn't being mean, maybe she just raised her voice instead of yelled. There is no objectivity, besides the fact that I am objectively disgusted by your objectively horrible dresses. Stop dressing up and stop trusting in technology blindly and act like you have some DOGDANG sense!"

Cyras dropped the microphone for effect. However, the crackling fray startled her, shot her fur up in different directions and she bolted away.

Owlis got in Cyras' way, but she jumped at her. A coywolf in the audience shot mocha-colored waves at the younger fox.

Owlis still scooped her up, slam on tailbone. Cyras dropped on her back, but despite her legs shooting out like lightning bolts, she got slapped away. A punch flew but got knocked back with a headbutt.

Cyras twisted back onto her feet and Owlis jumped up for the arm drag out of instinct.

But the smaller fox hadn't come at her, so Owlis stumbled over herself, as Cyras jumped on the back of her skull. The strategy throughout the game was double-pronged: Cyras had been getting her to expect a particular sequence of events, only that they would get quicker, then the girl threw a curveball of the script.

Owlis ate grass and spat out some lawn.

"So looks like I really am two steps ahead." Ah, so that's why she went with those lyrics.

"Good work, Cyras," Owlis said. "Admittedly, you finally caught me off-guard, with the help of your criminal friend over there." She pointed over at a coywolf who was slinking through the crowd without avail.

Ahmond said, "Oh no."

***

Ahmond approached the giant door of Owlis' palace, and Maypol opened the door. As the heavy wooden oak shifted away, Ahmond saw the terminal of despair, the heaviest of horrors. A room that was mostly purple walls and furniture, with marble windowsills. In fact, the curtains fluttered against the windows which shone the light in.

She saw the bed and saw the weapon—the heavy wooden paddle.

"Owlis, we can talk about this. We're actually getting more money tomorrow and I don't think we should do this-"

"You smashed my guard's face in and nearly knocked out her tooth, you scammed me, and you stole from me. You stole from my people," Owlis said as she leered at her. "So no, you're not getting away."

At the first recognizable sign of retreat, Owlis prevented her scampering by lifting Ahmond up and slamming her on the floor. Dazed, Ahmond staggered and stumbled, until Owlis threw her over the very soft bed.

Actually, this was pretty nice and the linens smelled like roses.

Owlis bit down on the paddle, and stood on her hind legs. Ahmond tensed up in preparation.

"You know," Owlis said, taking some time for a stroll. "I remember my first spanking, so I've seen this type of fear before. My mother was quite the woman, and there was a lot of whining and screaming, as whack after whack fell, like cannons going off. After an apology, I finally put the paddle away."

Ahmond screwed her eyes shut and tried avoiding the attention of the furious Maypol in the corner.

Owlis stretched out, and Ahmond could hear the wind and felt something brush near her rear fur.

"Just taking a quick practice stroke. Usually, I'm not the one performing these, but you've definitely made a little special exception for yourself. Okay, I think now we're ready."

Maypol bit down on Ahmond's tail and yanked up while keeping a paw on the backs of her shoulders.

Owlis stood as tall as she could, paddle in her mouth then swung as true as she could, as quick.

The slap resounded as did a yelp.

However, Ahmond felt no pain as she heard the paddle fall with a thud, as Maypol stood over Owlis.

"Are you okay, Imperial Majesty!?" Maypol asked. Ahmond turned her head enough she could see the bright red bruise on the side of Owlis' face. The paddle bounced off.

Ahmond blushed, horrified at how she hurt the Empress.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Owlis shouted at Ahmond.

Ahmond ducked and rushed out the doors.

Owlis' face softened as Lilu came out from underneath the bed. She exploded with laughter. "Now she will learn way better than saying I'm fat."

"That was morally wrong," Owlis said. "However, that was hilarious. Now I need my money."

Lilu rolled her eyes and slapped the cash on her paw with authority.

"Also need some more for the fact she uppercut my guard and cleaned her clock so well the fourteenth hour was shining."

"Yeah, of course," Lilu said.

"I must say, the toy was quite accurate."

Lilu nodded. "Yeah- wait, the toy that Ahmond mentioned with the little yellow marks, that is real?"

"I anticipated all of you would be causing problems so I made sure I got some practice out of the way first," Owlis said. "Also I could always sell them if you ever become villains, so others can whack you in effigy. Anyway, I hope your mother has gotten over herself."

"I, uh, yeah, so I'm leaving now."

Owlis said, "Please make sure you send Cyras up."

After Lilu exited, Cyras entered Owlis' lair before saying, "So... Guess I saved the day."

"Indeed you did, Cyras. Sometimes bureaucracy gets in the way of justice, which isn't something I like admitting."

Cyras shrugged. "I think the speech I gave startled everyone and now they're more uneasy than before. In some way, I feel like I hurt them and I wonder whether we should leave others in ignorance or knowledge." She saw streamers falling, outside the window.

"Cyras, I thought of you as amoral. I didn't think you have a sense of moral compunctions or right or wrong, just survival. Yet, you are honest," Owlis said as she came by her side, standing over her. "You clear the way in the dark. Well, perhaps you're deceptive when you would really rather want something." She gave a slight grin.

"I don't like the idea of others not knowing the truth, but what's the point in clearing the way if I don't bring hope or happiness?"

"Birds can't fly in cages," Owlis told her.

"I'd like some birds, like cluck-clucks," Cyras said.

"Oh yes, that just made me realize that your credit card is being very misused in a very unpleasant way. So let me see that."

Cyras said, "Totally understandable." She handed the plastic card over as Owlis ripped the card up. The red fox turned away when Owlis put a paw on her shoulders.

"Oh, I hope you don't think you're getting away with helping Ahmond throughout the entire debacle."

Cyras took a step back while Owlis took a step forward. "Time for your birthday spanks."

***

The girls met again on Tritos 22, one day after Cyras' birthday. All sat at their favorite log at Summer's Meadow, however, Cyras limped slightly.

"So how is everyone?" Cyras asked.

Rosod said, "Grounded. Until my parents can't remember why I was grounded in the first place."

Ahmond said, "Uh, well, hurting."

Lilu shook her head at Cyras. "Just gazing in your eyes, my lovely."

Ahmond noted, "Smooth."

Cyras said, "Anyway, so we caused civil unrest, fried a lizard, and finished a mission of Team N:Era. Hopefully, we get paid because Owlis ripped up my credit card."

"Wait, yeah, we should have been paid," Ahmond said, "that would have been lovely two weeks ago."

"Can we all appreciate the fact that none of this would have happened without Ahmond," Lilu said.

Rosod nodded. "Yes, she's the root of all evil."

"Yup," Cyras said with a nod.

"I am not the root of all evil!" Ahmond said as she rested her cheek on her paw. Gazing over at Lilu, she mumbled, "Sorry."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry for calling you fat, Lilu," Ahmond said.

"What's bringing this up?"

"I uh, well." Ahmond wasn't mentioning her backstage pass in the palace which ended with her backstage area. "I think I should have apologized earlier. Also, I think being a pudgy puppy can be a good thing, in some cases, even if society doesn't quite agree with us."

Lilu raised a brow. "In that case, you'll be partaking in the cake." She pulled up a pink box and opened up, revealing a green cake.

Cyras' eyes lit up as she read the letters, which were, in perfect bright red cursive, "Happy Birthday Cyras Sumhyr." Little frosting clumps were every couple of inches apart. Even better, the smell of ginger arose.

As Cyras' eyes met Lilu, Lilu told her, "Happy birthday, Cyras."

"I don't know what to say," Cyras said, as she reclined back.

"I know your birthday didn't go exactly how you wanted, so I may have arranged for a party just amongst us," Lilu said with a shrug.

Ahmond said, "I am amazed, Lilu. You've never been this thoughtful with me."

Rosod said, "Or me, and I've known you longer."

"Well you two should be better," Lilu said, but quickly got a lick from Cyras, on her nose.

Everyone settled down as they began singing, however, Cyras began eating. Lilu smiled gently.

Ahmond's Theme: I Am a Castle

If you lean on me

You'll see a world you couldn't see.

You who bear a crown

I stand a castle in your ground

Build and Fortify

Legacy of my family.

All I was promised

The world belonged to the meek

Cast out for the sun

A wave of coffee adrenalized the weak

I am the thunder,

Voice of lightning's wrath and rage

I am the cold wind

the whisper of the winter's sage.

If you lean on me

You'll see a world you couldn't see.

You who bear a crown

I stand a castle in your ground

Build and Fortify

Legacy of my family.

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Where We Lie Part 7: The Summer Solstice

Cyras took a deep breath as she took her first steps out in her ugly opaque couche dress.

Banners spread across the arches, streamers from balconies, and crumbs from mouths. Hundreds of guests stared at her. They cheered so loud she couldn't hear her footsteps.

Lilu stepped up next to her in a pink, frilly, and fancy dress. Understandably, she looked murderous. "Wow, that is not a good dress for you."

"Same," Cyras told her. Both began laughing.

Rosod said, "Girls, we have a mission. Find and extract Ahmond, then take out Daybreak."

Cyras said, "Yeah, get some Ahmond extract." She saw everyone's attention go to a balcony.

Owlis stepped out. Cyras blinked as she saw the alpha in a white dress with amazing stitching. Her cuffs looked like doilies. Her volcanic glass shoes were stark black. Authoritative clacks accompanied her steps, as she stared down at everyone, who could only stare back up in awe. "She looks amazing."

Rosod snapped in Cyras' ear. Startled, she jumped.

Cracking a knuckle, Rosod said, "Anyway, right now I'll locate Ahmond and Lilu will keep an eye out on the violet. Your job is staying here. Everyone is keeping their eyes on you because you're the Empress' cousin and the newest goddess here."

"Goddess," Cyras asked with a raised eyebrow. "You don't believe that."

Lilu shook her head and said, "Anyway, yeah Kid, you're gonna be on your own for a few minutes."

As they walked away, Owlis appeared next to Cyras. "We have a schedule. For right now, let's meet with your other family members."

Cyras opened her mouth but was escorted by the Empress across the garden's dark green grass. She caught everyone's eyes.

Owlis paused in front of a golden fox near the snacks. She had some extra thick fur and curves. "Meet Bhrook, my sister."

Cyras did the math, slipping thoughts through the audience's cacophony, like water over a greasy window. Okay, so she was the daughter of Sumhyr, and Sumhyr was Owlis' cousin, meaning Owlis' sister would be her... Cousin once removed just like Owlis. She should have figured that out immediately instead of calculating the numbers but for some reason, her wit, always so sharp, was now so dull.

Bhrook stared down at the little girl and said, "Why hallo Cyras, very nice I can meet you." She sniffed her snout.

Cyras tilted her head at her and said, "You don't even look remotely like Owlis."

Bhrook said, "I have some purple markings, they're just covered up." Oh, she was wearing golden silk.

"And here I am," said a blue fox. "Current replacement of Ryvoh as leader of Glacialane. Raynfall. I'm the sister of Snofall."

Cyras stared at Owlis with bared fangs. "Who are all these people?"

Owlis told her, "Stop being snarky. There are four of the seasonal cousins, Ryvoh Spryng, Sumhyr, myself, and Snofall Whyntir."

"I find this ironic that the family named Winter all has 'fall' in their names. And I don't see how she could be replacing Ryvoh."

Owlis sighed. "Ryvoh, before she left, was the leader of Glacialane. Snofall led Wyrmhome. Your mother led Sunnyvilla."

"Speaking of," Bhrook asked, "do you... know anything about your mother?"

Owlis said, "She's on an 'if she asks' basis."

"I don't really care about my mother," Cyras said, eyes half-lidded as she walked away from three older foxes who had mouths agape. All she knew was her mom and dad died when she was younger.

What did interest her, however, were quite a few of the snacks she saw. She licked her teeth, wiggled her tail, and jumped up on a platform. Tea time with Owlis blessed her palette with many bread treats. Muffins, cookies, cupcakes, or her favorite, gingerbread.

Nose twitching, she sussed out nothing resembling ginger. Oh well. Can't get everything she wanted on her birthday, but she did see a bowl of a red liquid. Must be blood. She licked at the fluid, disgusting several nearby guests, but the taste tingled her buds.

She smacked a couple of times at the sugary and light flavoring. With a shrug, she plunged her face within the bowl, sucking.

Owlis shouted, "Cyras, get down from there."

"But I'm thirsty."

Owlis said, "Now."

Cyras pouted and stared at the grass a couple of times, back at the punch, bit down on a plate of cookies, and jumped.

Bhrook glared at Owlis. "You can't let her act like that."

"I've got an appointment. You shoot me another dirty look and that appointment is you," Owlis told her sister, making her back up.

Cyras smirked lightly after the two fought, but swam through the crowd in case anyone pursued. She saw a pond off in the distance where she could refresh herself.

But first.

She threw the plate up in the air, watched the platter flip. Growing eight fiery tails, she caught each raining cookie.

With a jump, Cyras scaled a tree. Her outfit was technically a shade of green with a dash of vomit, therefore she blended in slightly with some of the leaves. No signs of Rosod or Lilu.

However, she saw someone who looked a lot like Lilu, except larger and with stripes. As Ryvoh usually said, when she was pointing out other furious and feral beasts, "that's the saltiest of all the sea dogs." Jazmyn, mother of Lilu.

The evil persuader approached Owlis and said, "Good afternoon Owlis."

"Queen Jazmyn," Owlis regarded coolly. "I wasn't expecting you here. I figured you weren't a big fan of my little cousin."

The bane of good said, "Well, I suppose you should know that she, purposefully and intentionally, undermined my parenting. I had a lie detector which she broke while playing with Lilu."

"The lie detector determined that was a lie," Cyras spat, though not loudly enough that anyone could hear.

However, she noticed Bhrook talked with Raynfall. "Owlis is awful snippy."

Then, Cyras saw Rosod poking at bushes, inspecting grates. She couldn't filter her family out, nor Owlis and the Ender of Happiness. The talks fused together.

"You see, I calmly told Lilu that I was wondering if she ever thought about her weight."

"Owlis is always snippy, like what's her major problem, I think she gets off on treating others poorly."

"But that girl, I swear, that girl acted like nothing you've ever seen. She yelled at me and freaked out on me. That is MY child,"

"She wouldn't let us act like that when we were kids, Bhrook."

"-and she's the one who ran away from home. She doesn't think I ever wished I could run away from her."

"Uh-huh, yes Jazmyn."

Why can't anybody here shut up, Cyras thought.

Pupils narrowed, she ran down the tree. Pause. Should she stay up and watch Rosod, no Rosod's a big girl, she can handle herself. She'll find her, not the other way around. But maybe Cyras should stay on the tree and scout.

Screaming internally, Cyras burst towards the pond, some people nearly jumping back.

As she hit the pond she took one cookie and took a chunk out the middle instead of the sides. No chewing. Swallow and then she took a few angry pants and took a proper bite out of the sides. And also, she simply dropped some cookies, knowing she would eat them later.

The pond was secluded with no one near except for some fish. Lilies and poppies that filtered water quality and added some privacy. Good, Cyras was hungry. She lapped up some water before she jumped and immersed herself.

Smirking at one fish, a quite big goldfish, she blasted jets of flames from her paws. The steam-powered fox spiraled around, bit, and flew out.

She dropped the fish near the punch bowl, which had been refilled. When a Crimson lady fainted, Cyras, feeling a bit more hesitant about the blood on her mouth, knew she messed up.

Owlis said, "Cyras."

Cyras bolted.

"Cyras!"

***

The violet inventor, Daybreak, entered the party officially with Rosod accompanying him, as well as Orch.

Rosod said, "Excuse me, sir, may I see your backpack?"

Daybreak said, "Uh, well you see." He saw his brother nod for reassurance. "Oh of course, but there are important documents here, very important." He gave her the backpack and asked Orch, "That was a worker."

"Don't stress much," Orch said, "we'll be out of this country in no time. Thanks for taking me back, honestly, I should have realized your genius."

"I'm sorry as well, Orch," Daybreak said, "but I'm glad we have no hard feelings between us."

"What a sucker," Rosod mumbled, rolling her eyes, as she met up with Lilu. "Okay, now let's begin looking."

With the bag unzipped, the two girls rummaged for anything remotely interesting about the blueprints. Their eyes bulged.

"Did you see anything about lie detectors?" Rosod asked.

"Not a thing," Lilu told her.

"Well that's not very good," Rosod said.

***

In the basement of the palace, Ahmond sat alone in the darkness, listening as the song of the harmonica played. Her fox wolf cousin twisted and turned as she breathed in, giving each note a bit of power, that resonated throughout the first level of prisons.

The door opened as Maypol, the hyena guard, said, "That's enough from you." She grabbed the wolf by her arm and Mosor screeched as she was taken away.

Ahmond said, "Great, now she's probably getting lined up."

A shadow fell over the grate. "Ahmond!"

Cyras' face was between the bars of the grate, and she dangled a nearby vine from the stones. "Ahmond, I'm busting you out of here. Go ahead and grab this."

Ahmond said, "Where are the others?"

"Don't know, don't care!"

"I'm not very good at climbing ropes." A loud slap snapped her out of her misgivings. She bit down and tried scaling with her feet, getting up as high as she could.

"How are we getting past this grate issue?" Ahmond asked.

"This issue is actually quite terrible in my opinion," Cyras said, as she pushed a small metal ring through the gaps. Ahmond slipped her middle finger through. "Break through the bars with this."

As another echo came throughout the tunnels, Ahmond knocked on the bars. "Ow, my knuckle!" And then she fell, hitting and smashing through the bed.

"What's with all this ruckus!"

A guard was stomping through the hallways.

"Amplify, Ahmond."

"Uh..." Ahmond realized she could break through the bars on her cell door. With her Amplificate power, she empowered the metal on her ring. She scrambled for the door, prepared a punch, but a guard reached first, swinging open.

As Maypol stood in front of her, Ahmond's fist uppercut her jaw.

Maypol flew in the air, landing unconscious.

Ahmond blinked a few times.

Cyras said, "Ahmond, get up here now."

Prisoners usually came into and out of the palace's jails by going through a basement hatch. Ahmond stumbled through. She saw Cyras biting and ripping off pieces of fabric.

"Cyras," Ahmond said, "You're, um, ripping your clothes off."

"I know, and I hate these clothes, and I hate how everyone is talking!" She ripped off the last pieces of garment and threw the entire dress on the floor, before spitting on the corpse. "Now, stay with me."

***

Owlis stood by the punch bowl, her eyes half-lidded. She stared deep, at her reflection, until she heard a voice. Jazmyn.

"Greeting Empress Owlis. I managed to miss you in the crowd. Anyway, I believe we were having a talk about the issue of child discipline."

Owlis thought, I can't believe she's still talking at me.

"Lilu is the one who runs away, and yet she still expects that I should be the villain. And I feel like I'm a horrible mother who didn't raise her right because she has no respect."

"Oh, I don't think THAT makes you a horrible mother," Owlis said.

"Why thank you. What I do know is that seems like there's a lot more disrespect these days, you know." She took a swig of punch that Cyras put her face and tongue in.

Owlis thought, You literally crashed your mom's carriage and were known for coming home a little more than happy. Your daughter, mouths off on occasion.

Cyras walked past both, sporting nothing.

Jazmyn double-took at Cyras. liquid sprayed out of her mouth and nostrils at hose-like pressure. "Owlis, why is that uncouth, unsophisticated, backward-"

"Backward?" Cyras asked.

"-Child running around butt-naked?"

Owlis said, "Well presumably because she took her clothes off. Also Cyras- Where did she go?"

Cyras ran across the flowers and onto a stage with musicians and said, "Play me a good song boys and girls." She grabbed a microphone. "Because I've got something I gotta say."

Jazmyn asked, "What is that girl doing?"

Owlis said, "Oh something she'll regret in a moment, I'm sure."

Cyras said, "I would like to tell all of you the truth, in a way you're all comfortable with."

"Sour Grapes

May make you whine

But Grapes of Wrath

Make them taste fine.

Lost in yourself

The Grapes of Wrath

Only knows that I'm

Two steps ahead."

Lilu said, "Wait a minute, she's talking about someone." She saw Daybreak in the audience, waiting in line for his presentation.

"I take your superstitions

I fool you without remorse

Just trust machinations

That celebrities endorse

Lost in yourself

The Grapes of Wrath

Only knows that I'm

Two steps ahead"

Rosod said, "Wait, this is a code, she's obviously calling out our little Violet friend."

"Are you stupid or something?" Lilu asked, "Of course she is, and look at how close he is." Daybreak was only a couple of steps from the spotlight.

"A couple steps," Lilu realized.

"THE GRAPES OF WRATH

I am your anger

I break your cage

I subsist on you

I feel your rage

I am the grapes of wrath.

And I'm two, steps... ahead!"

Lilu pushed Daybreak two steps ahead and Cyras jumped at him. Daybreak flinched. Cyras twisted midair. Her arms wrapped around Daybreak's neck and as she fell, all 30 pounds of her brought Daybreak down.

Face crashing, Daybreak ate mud.

Owlis shouted, "Cyras, that is enough!"

"No, we're just getting started," Cyras shouted, her eyes glowing. "Let's get this started," she said as she circled her quarry.

Daybreak struggled on his knees and said, "That was assault and I could sue the crown for that."

Cyras said, "Then let's make a quick bet. I'll give you as much money as you want for your next project so long as you can beat me in a game." She tilted her head in an eerie manner. "I'm gonna prove your lie detectors are fake in front of the crowd, right here."

Orch scratched his head, not sure how this fit in with their plans, while Ahmond hid behind him.

Daybreak glared and said, "Fine."

Cyras jumped back on the stage and said, "Here are the rules, someone get a lie detector up here."

Daybreak said, "No need, I brought my own, so no tampering."

"Oh, I wasn't expecting that I could tamper with this." Cyras was gonna tell the full truth. The sun reached the hills.

Merry Summer Solstice. However, I did calculations and technically the 27th is Cyras' true birthday.

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era The Greatest Chill Comic (so far)

[saviorfoxowlis]

2022 works

Just a list of stuff I did 2022.

The current finale page for a N:Era comic. The real main reason I haven't finished or even finished the scene is getting wrapped up in the main N:Era storyline.

This was for the end of N:Era: Where We Lie, where Owlis is about to spank Ahmond for her insolence and not paying back a loan. Yes, Owlis actually is just really big.

How'd you lose your eye, Cyras? This drawing was created with the idea of a white sky admittedly, though one of my friends mentioned the idea of having another color sky. However, I went with white anyway. The main reason is that white can mean death but also reflects the blankness of Cyras.

I even made a quick animation. I mean, you can even see the clouds behind Despair moving. The rain drops also wrap around the viewer. His face is distorted because of lenses.

Lol, so I experimented with mixing some Live action into the drawing. I never specify what movie they're watching exactly in the vampire story, lol.

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Where We Lie Part 6: Breaking the Day

Cyras and Owlis squared off, circling each other like blood-lusting animals looking for an angry fix.

"You made Ahmond's paddling earlier," Cyras shouted at Owlis.

Quicker than before, Cyras leaped at Owlis, but the purple fox scooped her up, and slammed on the tail bone. Drop, buck at the older's jaw, but both feet got slapped away.

Cyras attempted a punch but Owlis knocked back with a headbutt. As the red fox stood up, Owlis hooked her armpit, before swinging her over and slamming her with an arm drag.

With a grunt, back hit flat on the floor.

"Cyras, you really need some other strategy. We've been attempting that same maneuver about fifty times now."

"I told you I was quicker than you and I will keep trying until you believe that."

"I doubt even you believe that," Owlis said, rolling her eyes. "I saw lights were still on in this room. After I had been awestruck you finally figured out the operation of the sophisticated light switch, I knew you were probably plotting."

"Oh, I learned in prison actually, when you threw me in a cell. That makes me the FIRST N:Era member who was thrown in a dungeon, the FIRST."

"Ahmond will be in there like a good little ice cream scoop, and then she'll get whipped like cream, and speaking of being good little girls, I want you in bed."

"I am in bed!" Cyras said.

Cyras was on a chair, which Owlis realized must be where she slept instead of on the actual bed.

"And I was ordering a pizza."

"You'll be fed at the party," Owlis told her. "Also, I see a small sign on your actual bed."

Cyras reached over and held up a picket sign, with red lettering, saying "paddling = no." With the sign up high, she encircled an increasingly annoyed Owlis.

"Paddling doesn't sit well with me.

You only spank for your own glee.

I wanna save Ahmond in the end.

So a paw I will lend.

But I need Owlis under my thumb

Before she goes medieval on her bum!"

Owlis rolled her eyes. "If you try to assault me or coup me again, I will be very annoyed."

Owlis willed off the lights, without flicking the switch, and walked out. Cyras muttered, "If I have to wear that stupid ugly dress tomorrow, I will be vaey annnooooid."

With a snort at her own impression, Cyras got out of bed. She waited five minutes, then jumped through an open window, onto a balcony, and down towards the bridge.

Which is how she found Owlis was still halfway across the bridge linking the towers. Several Twayt sentries flew around, focused on a Crimson with a pizza.

Oh right, she ordered a pizza.

With this many onlookers, she couldn't flame jet for speed. She backed away, and through the window. A couple of knocks and she received her visitor.

The Crimson had a pizza bag.

"I'm not used to guards holding me up so sorry for the delay, but we got here in under thirty minutes."

"Yes, good," Cyras said as she gave him the credit card.

"I'll need cash."

"Okay fine." She rummaged for about a minute and showed him a few gold coins. His eyes widened from the glow and he said, "Why thank you very much, you very generous fox."

Cyras whispered at him, before slipping into his bag. He began walking away, going along with this bribe.

Through the palace, they went, with Owlis not suspecting anything, nor any guards. As the zipper opened, she popped through. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I can now afford an 'I quit' cake for my boss!"

Within a few minutes, Cyras was down in the dungeons.

Ahmond huddled in a corner with Mosor, only to see Cyras. "Cyras, you're here? Are you breaking me out now?"

"Not quite, but look at this." Cyras held up a note. "I got this from the shop where we bought the lie detectors, and the writer Orch is saying he knows about the truth. Daybreak was his brother."

Ahmond bristled her fur. "Is his brother."

Mosor said, "Don't annoy the fox."

"Yeah. But the only problem is, Daybreak is leaving for Canth in a few days, and from what I've heard, Canth isn't part of Civic Lands."

"Canth isn't part of Wysdom," Ahmond corrected her. "So Owlis doesn't rule over Canth, but they have their own queen."

"I'm pretty sure Owlis over ranks Jazmyn."

"Yes, but Jazmyn is still part of the empire," Ahmond said.

Cyras tilted her head.

Ahmond said, "I don't know if I can help."

Cyras grabbed the bars and said, "I've got a plan. As soon as I break you out."

"You know how you'll do that?"

"Not exactly."

Ahmond's ears flattened.

"I'll figure this out."

"Are you sure?"

Cyras said, "As I always told Kryyk, if anyone would hurt you, I'd stab them and bite their face."

She gave her a quick poke on the chest. As Ahmond looked down, she was sniped by a tongue on her nose. The Coywolf almost jumped back in surprise, as Cyras bolted away.

***

Cyras entered the shop where she ordered the lie detectors. The Violet perked up as he saw her.

"Cousin of Empress Owlis, Cyras," Orch said, folding his arms. "I'm guessing you got my note."

"Yes. So, tell me your plan."

Orch said, "After I tell you the truth of Daybreak. My brother created lie detectors and I convinced the shop owner he should sell them here. Never were these more than playtoys. That therein lies the problem. He never advertised these as being insanely accurate, until now, therefore he wasn't really in any legal trouble.

"Daybreak was young, and my parents have always been hard on him after he dropped out of tech school. Well, more like he flunked out of tech school. Anyway, he still makes plenty of inventions and he also passed an advertising class at one point, so despite his appearance, he knows something about charisma."

Cyras' eyes narrowed. "So there's more than just lie detectors."

"My brother fancies himself an inventor of sorts. In reality, I think he's more a toymaker." Orch rested his chin on his claws. "I feel at fault. My dad never treated him well, neither did my mom. By the time I get fired, I'll probably be thrown out on the streets."

Cyras said, "I see, so he's simply struggling. He's like a cornered animal, but now he has power and would rather oppress others and continue the cycle of pain."

"Uh, I can't follow that level of poetry. However, the good news for you is that he's leaving soon for Canth and he'll be moving there."

"The damage here has still been done, and any other inventions he creates will spread around the globe," Cyras told him. "Then he'll probably move somewhere else than Canth, and move from there."

She grabbed the invitation from her bag and showed Orch. "I want him at my birthday party. Can you get him there?"

"Why?"

"I'm exposing him at my party."

"We had a falling out, however..." Orch dialed on his phone, a very small and compact one.

"That looks like a cool phone," Cyras said.

"I call this a cellular, but they won't really catch on, I'm sure," Orch told her dismissively. "Shhh." He put a finger against his lips.

A voice came over. "Orch?"

"I've thought about your offer, and you know what, I'm in."

"...You are?"

Cyras nodded as Orch said, "Yes, I've been thinking, and to be honest, everyone looks down at my shop. You're right. Revenge is a dish best served in cold, metal, truth-detecting fashion, and I heard you're getting invited to Cyras' party."

"I am? But I heard she doesn't even like the lie detectors."

"No no," Orch said, "she uh-"

Cyras mouthed the words: No trust.

"She didn't trust you is what she told me when she was here earlier, but I guess she came around. If you present them at the party, all lingering doubts will be washed away."

"You think she'll go for that?"

"I already asked and she thought that would be a great idea, and you should bring all of your papers and blueprints on lie detectors. She's a Wilder. She's afraid of stuff she can't understand but I'm sure you can explain this in a way she'll know."

Daybreak said, "Orch, I knew I could trust you. You just needed some time. I'm sorry if I was rude at your shop."

"That's okay," Orch said, "I'm sorry as well. Brothers should stick together, though." He hung up.

Orch said, "By the way, here's the secret I was planning on showing you." He told her everything he knew, and Cyras smirked at Orch.

"He won't know what hit him," Cyras said.

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Where We Lie Part 5: Close Your Eyes

Flashback: One year prior.

Mosor, Vanos, and Kyofi struck out from Ralax Islands first in their family. Ahmond found herself in the next wave, going as an apprentice under her older brother and cousins.

Her parents sent her with a sandwich, two Drakold of money, and a ticket.

Ahmond never saw Wysdom before, however, her emigration took her on a course through upper Rosaberg, down towards Sunnyvilla.

Vanos was the one who primarily trained her in the art of ice creamery because he was her older brother. The triad made a powerful business force, despite mostly struggling through the years. Vanos had a better way with customers, Mosor had a better way with numbers and records, meanwhile, Kyofi was best at making ice cream.

However, Vanos and Mosor both had special powers, which Ahmond had too - Qualities. A specific type of magic that amplified a trait. Upon discovery, Owlis took interest in the Ice Cream Pack. So her first week of Wysdom, she was invited to talk to the Empress.

Everyone swung around under the chandelier, covered with perfumes, and body sprays. Owlis talked with Mosor. Both drank grape juice and laughed - however, Mosor's was forced.

Owlis' eyes fell on Ahmond, and she felt like her soul was being searched. Averting her gaze, she went over to the punch bowl.

"Ahmond, come over here," Mosor had said, with a performed grin. "I must apologize, Ahmond is really out of her element here, and she's very shy."

Ahmond's ears perked up as she walked up towards the fox. Despite being half-wolf, she was still shorter than the Empress. She ambled and sat behind one of Mosor's forelegs.

"Hallo, Ahmond," Owlis told her. "Your Quality is Dependability. How does that work?"

"Oh, um, I would need a volunteer. This can only work on someone else."

A pink hyena snickered. "Not much of a power if you need help."

Ahmond pinned her ears. An older hyena, clearly her parent, gave a faint smile and said in a quite condescending manner, "We don't tease others."

Owlis rolled her eyes and said, "How about you demonstrate on Lilu?"

The pink hyena from before cautiously took a few steps toward her. She whispered, "If you do anything that I'm not going to like, I swear I will rip your throat out."

Feeling some sweat, Ahmond said, "Find someone you can't lift."

"Someone who I can't lift? Probably you. But I'll find someone else, oh great magician," and Lilu would stalk around, before looking at Vanos, and she got underneath him and stood up as best she could. Vanos raised a brow.

Ahmond put her paw down and an essence of magic came from her. Mocha-colored waves flowed in and flooded the body of Lilu. She gasped, shocked, as suddenly, the hyena was lifting the coywolf.

Several of the party goers clapped at the display while Owlis said, "I see, so your power increases the strength of others."

Ahmond said, "Not only that." She released the power and Lilu was crushed underneath Vanos. "I can ampli... Amplifi... Amplificate powers."

Owlis said, "Excellent. Anyway, my girl, we've been talking. You're only 24, yes?"

"Yes."

Owlis seemingly went over a few calculations in her head. "In that case, you're absolutely a perfect fit, because I've been wanting a few children in our community helping out, and I think you would be a benefit to the organization of N:Era."

"I don't know what N:Era is," Ahmond said.

"N:Era stands for Next Era," Owlis told her. "Your main missions and objectives will be helping out the land in various ways."

"Like picking up litter?"

"Erm, yes, that's definitely one way. I'm asking your siblings, Vanos and Mosor, to be teachers because I know of their powers, and I think these qualities will enhance the mainland."

Ralax Islands were both part of and not part of Wysdom. They existed as a legal gray area for some reason Ahmond never really figured out, so she was never sure if she was from Wysdom or not. Certainly not culturally.

"Okay," Ahmond said with a nod.

"Go ahead and play with the others," Mosor said.

Ahmond went back for the punch bowl when she saw the pink hyena with a crimson. "Sooo," the hyena said, "my name is Lilu, and that was an interesting trick we saw. What's your name, Kid?"

"A-H-M-O-N-D."

"Is that pronounced Ahmond or Ahmond?"

"Uh, Ahmond."

"Take a walk with us..."

That had happened over a year ago, at a time she could have had a great life, in a great empire.

Ahmond was now sitting on cold grass, by a misty bay, in the capital of Wysdom known as Lavandar. She is currently friends with that hyena and crimson.

She was taking a walk with Owlis, their feet getting sucked in by the muddy swamp. The odor of moss grew stronger as lake waters kept slapping each other. Ahmond wasn't sure why Owlis wanted to meet her at night, but perhaps that made burying bodies easier.

Ahmond attempted breaking obvious tension by saying, "I heard that this swamp is known as a fen because the place is alkaline. I read that in a book."

"I see."

"Rosod finds stuff out through school because her family can afford school, but my family has some struggles. But she learns a bunch of stuff she says is useless and boring..."

They arrived at the lake and Owlis said, "Ahmond, your family took out the loan for business about a couple of months ago, and I've tried being patient, I really have. But for some reason, despite a very hot Spring season that should have helped your business immensely, I haven't been getting anything back, and instead, I get scammed. You attempted giving me my own money."

Ahmond looked away. "I just, well we don't-"

"Well maybe we should nip the situation in the butt, how about you tell me more about financial struggles. Tell me where that money went exactly."

Owlis was proof lie detectors were unnecessary because she could pry anything from anybody. Ahmond felt the stone in her stomach, as she said, "Okay, the truth is we spent a bit of the loan on stuff that wasn't business."

"I was suspecting as such."

"...We bought wrestling tickets, jazz tickets, and lottery tickets." Ahmond blurted the words out as her legs shook. "Why are you only going after me, why not the rest of my cousins?"

"I don't remember your cousins letting an attempted regicider back in the kingdom while giving them sanctuary."

Ahmond received another flashback. Several months ago, when Cyras first invaded Civic lands, she attacked and attempted murdering Owlis. Despite being captured, the wild fox escaped.

Ahmond, who had known the news, brought Cyras back. Secluded her. Wrapped her in a scarf.

Yeah, harboring a fugitive was already a major offense.

Ahmond looked for an excuse but noticed a set of shadowy figures on the lake. One of them looked like a hyena, and one of them looked like, well…

"VANOS!" Ahmond shouted as the fog cleared up a bit as Owlis summoned a few winds, pushing the atmosphere away.

Owlis told her, "He can't hear you, the winds are very strong." Maypol, the primary hyena guard, stood behind Vanos.

"Don't worry, little one," Owlis told her in an oddly soothing voice. "I wasn't only going after you, you were simply the one who I was warning. The eyes of the Owl are everywhere across this entire empire, every single square inch of these 500,000 square miles is under my surveillance."

Owlis picked up a walkst-whilst-talkst. "Hit him."

Maypol picked up the heavy canoe paddle, which dangled at an angle because of the heaviness. However, she lifted up and adjusted, showing her jaw's massive strength.

Vanos said, "In the name of the four elder gods, and the four main ice cream flavors, I thank the water for blessing this place with beauty. Amint."

Maypol swung the canoe paddle at Vanos. Even Owlis' sound dampening couldn't stop the sound, as the Empress hung her head.

Ahmond's pupils dilated.

Owlis whispered in her ear, "Where's. My. Money."

***

Rosod approached her parents. Because Crimson culture was known for large families, a bunch of siblings aired grievances. This meant the parents would be broken. They wouldn't argue.

Rosod entered the birch office room while carrying a delicate and artistically crafted forgery of a school field trip permission slip. Her dad was busy with some papers of his own, organizing them, while her mother marked stuff in red ink on a calendar.

"Mother, Father, I was wondering if I could attend this field trip for school, where we will be going out towards the Rosaberg Kingdom. The trip does cost a bit of money though." She gave a shy, bashful head gesture so her parents thought she was being reticent about asking for money.

Her father pored over the note, and read aloud as he always did. "Mm, to the parents of Rosod... mm... Put down any allergies or food intolerances... The faculty members are not responsible for any harm such as loss of fingers, limbs, beheading, re-heading on the wrong body, measles, mumps, other diseases, or loss of eyeballs... Sign here... I really don't think we will be signing off on this one."

"Huh?" Rosod asked.

"Well Sweetheart, we've got news that you're attending the birthday party of your friend, Cyras. That Field Trip is on the same day."

Her mom asked, "Speaking of, why are they only telling us about the trip now?"

Rosod went blank. She put the field trip on the same day as Cyras' birthday which was the same day as Ahmond's punishment so she could get the money before the punishment.

"Besides," her dad said, "Rosaberg is a long way away and is very rainy. However, you should go back to studying."

"Yes, Dad," she said as she walked back to her room.

A few hours passed. She failed Ahmond. However, she heard a ringing on the phone.

"Rosod, someone wants you," one of her little brothers said.

Rosod put down the pencil, cracked her knuckles, and came down the stairs. She wasn't sure who would be calling at this hour. Usually, Lilu was too busy "doing literally anything" else when she called her, but maybe that wasn't a two-way street.

"You dodge my calls but expect me to answer yours. Typical." Rosod put the phone to her ear, eyes half-lidded.

"Rosod," a voice came. Whispery, lighter than Lilu's, and sorta lower-pitched.

"Huh? Who are you?"

"Ahmond!"

"I never heard your voice over a telephone before. Alright, what's up?"

"I'm in jail.."

Ahmond gave a brief recap of events during that night, how Owlis had threatened her, how she saw her brother get whacked by one of Owlis' guards, and how she got arrested.

"Ahmond, that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Am I really supposed to stand here, mouth agape, and believe half of the lies you just told me."

"This really happened!"

"Look, my parents aren't going to give me the money, so short of me literally going in their wallets, I don't think I can help you. And yes, I did try that."

Another ringing came, as Rosod said, "Please hold."

Lilu said, "Hey, did you know that Ahmond got arrested?"

Rosod rolled her eyes, as Lilu began laughing over the phone, in an electronically distorted tone of voice.

"Lilu, that's not funny," Ahmond said. Then a third ringing came to all of them, as all three said, "Please hold. Hello, who is this?"

"I would like to order a pizza. Here's my idea."

Rosod deepened her voice as she said, "Yes this is Rosita's, please tell me what your order is."

"Okay, well I would like two large pizzas, with pepperoni, ham, cheese, meatballs, mari...mari... marigold? Sauce, bacon, and sausage. And a small drink of water, please."

Under her breath, the weasel muttered, "Does her palace not have flunking water- Cyras! This isn't a pizza line!"

"Oh, I must have pressed the wrong button."

Lilu asked, "Wait you have Owlis' dungeon on speed-dial?"

"I don't know what speed-dial is," Cyras said, "and wouldn't you? What else is speed-dial for besides prison and pizza?"

"People who have something called 'friends'," Rosod said.

"I talk to you all day, I need some me time, as in me and a pizza time."

Lilu questioned, "Where are you even putting all of that? That's like 4000 calories worth of food."

Ahmond said, "Ahem, I don't wanna be pushy, but Maypol said explicitly she'd tap my tushy. Please, there's no way I can get any money now that I'm in jail."

"Holding, actually. KARV!" Lilu said. "When do people get their butts blistered when they're in holding? ...He says thirteen hours. So at Cyras' party."

"I'm glad the entire palace knows."

Cyras said, " I've got a great idea."

"Breaking me out?"

"Oh no, sorry, I thought I was calling pizza this time. I was going to say put down all the meats."

Rosod mulled this over and being the coordinator amongst the girls, she actually had a plan. "Here's my suggestion, but this depends on what level of the dungeon you're at, Ahmond."

"Um, I'm at third class."

Cyras said, "Seriously, there are class divisions in prisons? Lilu, when you told me that your castle had servants' corridors so Jazmyn wouldn't have to see their ugly faces, I thought that was extreme."

Lilu said, "Class divides everything."

"Yeah, well good news then," Cyras said. "Owlis loves hearing the tortured screams of the punished so there's actually a few grates around the left of the palace. So, maybe, at my party, we could all go by the grates and bust Ahmond out through the sky."

"Sounds good," Lilu said, "and we'll give Ahmond a fake name. We'll say Bruise is her new name since she's been in prison."

"My name is not gonna be Bruise..."

"Good night, Bruise," Lilu said, "good night Cyras." She hung up.

Rosod said, "I have a name. Anyway, good night Cyras, good night, Bruise."

"That's not my name!"

"Good night, Ahmond."

"Thanks, Cyras."

"What is your full name?"

"Ahmond Brews Freezer."

"Huh?"

"I'm just kidding."

"Shut up, Bruise."

Cyras hung up but as she turned around, she saw a purple fox.

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Where We Lie Part 1: The Greatest Scam

Slaughterhound Studios presents:

N:Era: Where We Lie

Chapter 1: The Greatest Scam

A red fox stood opposite a purple fox. Both glared at each other, their hackles raised, their claws stretched out.

Owlis said, "Summer fades to Autumn, and that's why my name is Fall."

Ironically, the actual season was once Spring. However, each flower opened in bloom, and the sickly sweet scents faded away, as the plants became mature.

"The only thing falling is you!" Cyras shouted, "and no one's putting you together again!"

Owlis said, "Stand your ground, and fight me now."

Cyras rushed at her, only for the purple fox to sidestep, before grabbing the arm and forcing the limb to her back. Eyes widening, the younger realized how weird this position was.

Owlis slammed Cyras across her knee before flipping the girl over. Cyras' tail bone hit the grass, and she winced. "Stop doing that!"

With a laugh, Owlis told her, "Once you learn the basics of my type of fighting, you'll know."

Grumbling, the red fox rubbed her tail bone, her pelt being the exact opposite of the wet grass. Sometimes, she felt afraid her stealth was weak since she stood out so well. Luckily red and green colorblindness existed, unluckily, lots of other dires saw the full range of colors.

She once heard males had a lesser ability to pick out reds from greens.

"Cyras."

She snapped back to attention from her daydreaming. "Erm, yes?"

"I would like to inform you that your birthday is coming up."

Birthday. A mix of birth and day. "Like the day I was born?"

"Yes. Anyway, custom says you will be getting gifts, but unfortunately, I've only known you for a few weeks and am unaware of what you would like. Therefore, I am going to be giving you this." She handed her a dark blue card with a platinum streak. "And this will help feed you."

Cyras prepared a chomp when she got smacked on the nose.

"No, you little fool, this isn't the food, this buys food. You're going to give this to a cashier."

Oh yeah, Civics bought stuff unlike Wildborns such as herself. But stealing was "wrong" and resulted in Owlis getting very unhappy. That was around the part Owlis began explaining the credit card.

Rolling her eyes, Cyras ignored her.

"Finally, we will be throwing a party. This will be your first formal event too, so I'll teach you how to behave."

Cyras' ears perked up. Owlis trotted away, having other business to attend.

Scanning the garden, Cyras sniffed at some of the various plants and vegetables, getting the earthy musk. Summer roses were one of her favorite flowers. She picked one, and scampered, as she had a meeting with her friends.

A couple of hours later, she arrived at Summer's Meadow. An area mostly with grass, a large collection of trees for the wild she once lived in, and tulips. Main populace, younger kids. So the area was mostly noisy.

She passed by several groups and set herself by a log with a hyena, a coywolf, and a crimson - a species of bipedal weasels.

Ahmond stared down as Cyras and Lilu played games. Cyras said, "So Lilu, now that you've come back home, how's your mother been?"

Rosod said, "Yeah, you haven't said anything for a while now."

Lilu shrugged. "I mean, things were fine until she started acting all herself again."

Rosod drummed a beat onto the stump and began beatboxing as Cyras sang.

"Who's lying always, causing Li problems?

Who's probably overcompensating?

Who's only famous, for being queen?

Everyone knows Jazmyn!

So, what's crazy Aunt Jazmyn doing this time?"

"Well..."

Lilu transported back, remembering before the before, as she told her mom, "I've found out that I really like strawberry ice cream with vanilla."

"You really need to start thinking about your weight," Jazmyn said during the movie.

-"Wait, you two were talking during a movie?" Ahmond asked. "At the theater?"

"Yeah that's pretty rude," Rosod told her.

"Not the point!"

Ahmond said, "Well if you want, you can have some of my apples." She rolled an apple to Lilu since that was her lunch, along with some crackers and lemonade pink.

"That's still not the- are you saying I'm fat?"

Ahmond said, "Oh, ummmm... I just figured the reason you were telling us is because you wanted help with your weight! So that's why I offered apples. Just, you're usually eating fatty foods."

"Yes, I go to your ice cream shop, to get ice cream from you, to support your business. And your family's business."

"Not really helping," Ahmond told her. "We've had to take out a loan from the government. And Owlis, is, ummm, really, really, scary."

The other three girls peered at her, with Rosod saying, "Let's see what's going on with her. Tell us more."

-

The guard escorted Ahmond to the torture dungeon, a spacious yet dank room made mostly of bricks. Grime accumulated on walls, but that wasn't noticeable compared with the mold and moss. Past some vine birthing bricks was a metal board. A toy coywolf with the same markings as Ahmond was strapped down, tail kept up with a single metal cuff, which was linked by a chain with the ceiling. Yellow marks were present on the buttocks where the paddle would strike.

Creases riddled Owlis' expression as she bit on the paddle. "I gave you that business loan two months ago. So pretend this is you."

Maypol the hyena said, "You heard her, that's you right there, Ahmond!"

Owlis whacked the marketable toy's buttocks as hard as she could, the force knocking the buttons off the eyes. The chain writhed and wriggled as the force echoed through the chamber.

Horror filled the coywolf. Her legs almost became jelly as she realized the eventual fate if, after a week, she hadn't given Owlis back the loan.

"YOU BETTER GIVE ME MY MONEY!"

As Ahmond took off running, she heard Maypol hyping Owlis up by saying, "She's gonna beat your candy butt, Ahmond, get her her money!"

-

Cyras' face was also riddled with creases, only these were more out of shock and disbelief. "Ahmond, when I got paddled, I got paddled in a nice comfy room, not in some awesome spanking dungeon that Owlis supposedly has."

Rosod told her, "And furthermore, she wouldn't have a marketable stuffed toy of you."

Lilu burst into laughter. "You're up the creek and unfortunately for you, Owlis has the paddle, Chubby Puppy! You better get her her money!"

Ahmond whimpered while Cyras glared at Lilu. "This is no laughing matter. Ahmond's a big wimp."

Ahmond puffed her cheeks out.

"Oh I'm just kidding, Sweetaling," Cyras told her, resting a paw on her shoulder. "You know, I might be able to help you out. I can give you the money for you to pay back. She gave me a credit card for my birthday."

"I wasn't invited to your birthday," Rosod told her.

"...My birthday is my day of birth. How are you going to miss my birthday?" Cyras asked. "Unless you sleep all day, that's impossible."

"Okay, fine, I wasn't invited to your birthday party. Punk." Rosod cracked her knuckles on one hand with her thumb, then her thumb with two fingers. The bipedal weasel rested her feet on the stump. "Also Owlis can just look up the purchases. She'll know, Cyras."

"Then, let's just buy enough stuff that Owlis doesn't know. She won't look at how much I gave Ahmond if she thinks I spent all the money on something else."

"Is that reverse money laundering?" Rosod asked.

***

Ahmond determined for believability's sake, Cyras should purchase something from a place she would visit. Not a jewelry store. Not a clothing outlet. So, that took them to the mall.

Immediately, Cyras ran to, the food court, however, Ahmond bit on her nape. Muffled, she said, "No."

Cyras scratched at the conditioned wind while Ahmond dragged her away. Spitting the fox out, Ahmond explained, "We need to buy something Owlis will see. Some toys."

Cyras huffed. "Just some cheesy chips."

"Nacho chips."

"They could be."

Ahmond blinked, then stepped on an escalator. She looked back, then double took as she realized Cyras wasn't with her.

She heard panting as Cyras was finally up the set of manual stairs.

On the next floor, they went over several shops. Fashion, candy ("No Cyras, not yet") or toys. Ahmond took her to one, saying, "Novelty items, these might be more your style." The carpeting was pink and plush, the lighting dim and faltering. A purple lizard stood behind the counter, a creature known as a "Violet".

"Oversized furry dice, crooked teeth... Are those real teeth? Uh. Soda drinking hats." Ahmond read each word for Cyras as they went through this shop of cramped oddities.

Cyras asked, "No offense, but, why would anyone buy any of this?"

The shopkeeper chuckled.

"She just made fun of your store."

"At least she's honest," the violet lizard said as he leaned forward, Cyras retreating a step because of his ugly bony body. "Look, I'm just the cashier and all I see is people coming in, buying stupid stuff. This shop has all the stuff no one would buy in an actual shop. These are all the rejects, the inventions that got nowhere, these are all wastes of space"

He pointed to a box with the words "Lie Detector". "Try that. The creator thought that would be the next big thing, the lie detector test. Unfortunately, that was a lie."

Ahmond ran a paw over the surface as she muttered something.

"Kid, speak up."

"...I just think this might be a bit interesting, that's all."

Cyras squinted. "Worth ten Drakold. Alright, let's buy ten."

"Oh Cyras, I don't need a lie detector," Ahmond said. "Much less twenty of them."

"I know. But maybe we'll help someone else while we help you. Two hundred Drakold may just be the break someone needs."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Besides, Owlis might wanna hear that I helped a struggling businessman by buying Lie Detectors than by buying Ice Cream."

They both giggled.

After Cyras made the transaction with the credit card at the shop in the mall, she'd give Ahmond the credit card for the ice cream shop.

"Alright, making the transaction," Cyras said as she had Ahmond swipe the credit card, "and we're good now?"

Ahmond put in some numbers. "Yes, we are good."

"So out of interest, should I tell them, or you?"

Both girls saw Rosod mocking them, while across the booth was Lilu.

"Hit them with the facts, Rosod."

"I'll hit them so hard, Owlis will have nothing left," Rosod promised her.

***

Daybreak argued with his parents as they threw his stuff on the lawn. Including his magazines and his comic books.

"I told you I'm still waiting for the money to come in, and my other invention is taking some time. You let Orch stay."

"Orch has a job," his father said.

"Selling novelty items! No one even goes in that store, they're thinking about replacing the shop."

"Great, sounds like you'll have a buddy soon," his dad said before the purple lizard threw a box of childhood toys.

Daybreak threw his arms out in wild, illegible gestures, before saying, "Twil lives here."

"She cooks."

"Terribly!"

A voice inside the house said, "I'm going to be cooking meatloaf tonight."

"Thanks, Sweetie," her father called back at her, before facing his son. "Look on the bright side, you don't have to eat that. We'll see you on the holidays." He slammed the door.

Daybreak stumbled over at a box, then whirled back and said, "...If I get a girlfriend I'm visiting her family for the holidays."

"I'll be in the hospital because oink-a-loinks will have flown right outta my butt."

Daybreak groaned as he walked down the streets and knew the only place he could head. Warm tears flooded from his eyes as snot came from his nostrils.

He got into the mall, got on the escalator with his hand draping over, before walking across several shops. Finally, Orch's shop.

Taking a deep breath, he sucked up the snot and cleared his voice, then he came into the Novelty shop.

"Orch." His voice broke. "Um, Orch," he said louder.

His brother stared at his eyes, then at his feet. "Mm-hm. You sound a little snotty."

"Oh, I'm a little sick. Uh, Mom and dad kicked me out."

Orch looked away and stayed silent for a moment. "Oh, wow. Uh... like you mean kicked out."

"I'm not allowed back home until the holidays."

"Just like that."

"I need money, I don't know where I can stay."

"Well, can't say we didn't know this was coming. Good news for you. Two girls just bought a bunch of your lie detectors."

"...How many."

"Twenty."

Orch pointed to an area, and Daybreak saw the tag mentioned Lie Detectors, but none stood there. A smile broke on Break's face, then he began grinning.

"You're not out of the water yet."

"Okay. But still, pretty cool. Maybe there will be more orders, and maybe more people will begin buying."

Orch shrugged, and stretched out a palm of Drakold, saying, "This should get you a hotel room." He patted his brother's shoulder. "Take care of yourself, man."

"Thanks." Still, Daybreak felt his life was better. Just a bit. "Tell me what these girls looked like."

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Call of the Wild Part 1: Red Block Letters

Slaughterhound Studios presents:

N:Era: Call Of The Wild

Chapter 1: Red Block Letters.

Between forest and field a wooden "DO NOT ENTER" sign stood, each letter sloppily painted in crimson. Wind brushed past this notice, ruffling the dandelions and dewed grass of the meadow. Within the field, a hyena and a weasel played cards on a tree stump. Other animals surrounded them to observe the next qualifier of the Towers tournament.

Beads of sweat dripped from the hyena's forehead, as audience members whispered amongst each other. Her dire blood blessed the quadruped with opposable thumbs, which she used to fan her cards. She fixated on her cards then eyed her opponent before focusing back on her cards.

"Take your turn, Lilu. We have, like, three minutes left on the clock," the red weasel said, adjusting in her seat.

A rush of adrenaline flowed as Lilu declared, "For the tournament! Queen of Fangs will engage in combat-"

"And I play my Instant, Reverser. Reverser stops the combat, inflicts damage equal to your fighter's Strength. Game, set, match."

Lilu's mouth dropped as everyone else cheered. "Second match, now!"

Raising an eyebrow, Rosod leaned back and said, “No.”

"Come on. I need the points."

Rosod said, "How do I say this politely? Oh right, I can't. No as in no."

Lilu slumped back, as a red and black coyote-wolf told Lilu, "You can face me instead."

"You won't provide points, Ahmond," Lilu said, resting her cheek on the stump. "You're not a good player."

Ahmond puffed her cheeks.

Rosod hummed. "Well, guess I'm going to be qualifying for the yearly Towers tournament. Suppose you two will be at my side, as my cheerleaders... again?"

Rolling her eyes, Lilu sat upright. "You know this is my last shot. Like for real, my last, last shot. There's nothing left."

"Aw, don't give up, there’s always next year," Ahmond said, patting Lilu's back.

"No, really, I can't. My mom's been clear that this Summer she's going to train me to be a proper queen." The princess thought about some of the wars she had with her mother, usually with her mother guilting her and shaming her for how she was horrible to have as offspring.

"Summer's a couple of months away," Ahmond said. "Maybe you can try in Spring?"

Lilu snorted. "Uh, you do realize the tournament takes place at the same time each year, right? Like, not until next Winter."

Ahmond shrugged. "I moved here last year, so maybe I don't understand all the traditions yet."

Rosod said, "I'd presume you... Never mind." Ahmond began to speak, but Rosod clamped her mouth shut with a paw. "I said never mind."

As an empty chill filled Lilu, she mumbled, "I wish my life were different."

Ahmond asked, "Different how?"

"I wish," Lilu said, as she stared out to the woods. Almost an impenetrable fortress of undergrowth, full of Wilders, and mystery. "I wish I could just run away. Life is getting hard, and I just want a place to run off to where no one will bother me, or ask me to deal with all these insane rules. Everybody cheered when I lost."

"They were cheering for Rosod," Ahmond said.

"Yeah sure."

Ahmond frowned, and asked, "Why are you so upset? Did something happen at home again?"

Lilu thought to earlier when she had talked with her mother. The pink hyena didn’t even stare into her eyes as she had walked into the room.

"Lilu, I heard you weren't training. You really need to start thinking about your future."

"I've been a little more focused on preparing for a tournament, Mom."

"Of course, this is all about this silly card game. Either you need to get help, or I need to start taking those cards away."

Staring through the window, Lilu asked, "Overreaction much?" She hid her deck anyway.

"You play that game several times a day, several hours a day."

"I play maybe thirty minutes," Lilu said.

"Do your work."

"Yeah, because that's what I need: To learn all about etiquette and get the training to be the future queen and all that. Such as learning about the lady-like way to sniff a bum."

"Sorry for giving you opportunities. I guess I'm just the worst mother in the world." She stormed off.

Lilu left a minute later. After all, her mom would throw a fit, and pretend like she was deeply hurt by the conversation. As she walked down the hallway, she heard her ranting about how she was an ungrateful child, and if only she could act like a normal daughter.

Drifting to the present moment, Lilu saw the sign covered in red block letters: DO NOT ENTER.

"Before people lived in cities, they lived in nature. Life was simpler a few thousand years ago. You woke up, scratched your butt against the nearest log, hunted for food, and slept. Be the easiest place to restart."

"Riiiight. You get on that," Rosod said. She stretched her back, and popped several joints. Some onlookers paid attention, but none took Lilu seriously.

"None of them care," Lilu said and slumped again.

Rosod said, "To be fair, this is the fourth time you've mentioned running away. This week."

The turmoil rose in her as she said, "Then tonight. The three of us stroll down into the woods, and we all run away, if only for a night. No rules, no regulations."

Rosod said, "No way. Right, Ahmond?"

Lilu pleaded with her eyes, disabling Ahmond's ability to say no. "Y-"

Rosod closed Ahmond's mouth again. "She's not joining you either."

Ahmond removed her jaw from Rosod's grasp and shot her a glare. Ahmond said, "Lilu, you can't, you know, you can't go over the sign. Those are the rules."

The rejection hit Lilu, and she almost snapped, but she knew convincing Ahmond required finesse. Lilu walked over to the placard, examined the block letters, and stroked her chin while sitting in a mock wise pose, before tapping her skull thrice. Her face brightened, before she carefully, very carefully - she paused to look both ways - placed the tip, the very tip, of a claw over the limits.

She pulled her arm back. "Oh no. Gee. I almost died, just one more step, and I would have been a goner."

Ahmond bared fangs and Rosod laughed while pointing at the coywolf.

"C'mon. I'm giving you two a choice when night hits. You go home and live the rest of your lives unhappy, or you come with me."

"My life's not unhappy," Ahmond said.

"You're literally going to work at an Ice Cream Shop for the rest of your life.”

Ahmond's ears flattened. "That's not, I'm not... I'm happy with my substandard life!"

Rosod nodded. "Mm-hm. Anyway, I have a major math test tomorrow, and while getting lost in the woods and eaten would give me an excuse not to go to school and retake the test, I think I'd rather take the B." She cracked her knuckles and strolled away.

Lilu clenched her teeth and said, "You wimp, you have no sense of adventure!”

"You won't last a day," she called out, "I bet 10 Drakold."

Ahmond's mouth watered. Her tail wiggled.

Lilu turned, only for Ahmond to put paws on her shoulders. "10 Drakold is a lot of money, Lilu," Ahmond said, in a measured, calm tone. "Think about all the gumballs you can buy with that much money."

"Er, a lot," Lilu said and shrugged, "but there are better ways to use that money."

Ahmond blinked. "If I go with you, will you give me half?"

Staring into Ahmond's admittedly adorable eyes, Lilu thought, if she dies, Mosor's going to beat me like a cake.

"I'm a rich princess. You can have all the cash."

Ahmond cheered, as Lilu gained one acquaintance.

***

Nighttime wasn't late in the Winter, so no one questioned when Ahmond and Lilu stayed behind, assuming they hadn't overheard Lilu threatening to run away.

Lilu peered into the infinite darkness of the woods, wondering if her species had nocturnal behaviors. Well, she'd learn quickly in the wild. No rules, no manners, no etiquette. Just survival.

“When do we leave?” Ahmond asked.

"I was waiting for a sign," Lilu said.

"The sign says don’t go."

Resisting the urge to smack Ahmond, Lilu said, "Never mind, I'm ready." As she came closer to the limits, heat filled her head, and she questioned her decision. She put her first paw over the imaginary line. Then the next paw. Then the last two paws afterward.

Relief washed over her, as breath whooshed from her lungs. She glanced at the straggler. "Hurry up, we haven't got all day."

Ahmond squeaked and leaped to join Lilu.

Some embarrassment filled Lilu. Ahmond was able to jump over the line with seemingly no fear. "What the - no rushing, this is a moment! Go back there, and take several slow steps over, and tuck your tail."

"Why do I need to tuck my tail?"

So you look wimpier than me, Lilu thought.

"Because the forest is so wet the water might dissolve your candy butt," Lilu said.

Ahmond shot back, "Just because you're more scared than I am gives you no right to pick on me."

Those words pierced like an arrow into Lilu. "...Okay. Fine. You get awful snippy in the night." She stepped onto more wet grass, and moss.

"Like I said at the sleepover, I have a routine I follow before bed, and this is not my routine, not at all."

"That's why we're doing this," Lilu said, hopping over several tree roots. "To avoid having to follow routines or schedules."

Upon deeper entrance, the trees wrestled limbs with each other. Shade made the forest nearly pitch black, and each footfall met rocks or mud or grass. Rivers trickled, as they crossed a small creek, and under some trees. They came upon an incline of gnarled oak roots, unsteadily leading to a bush flanked by foliage.

"A bush is in the way," Ahmond said.

“No, really? Are you sure that’s not a small tree? They get real short this time of year.” Lilu pushed against the bush, as the branches raked her coat, leaving white marks. "Come on!" She trampled the leaves with great effort.

As she got over the other side, she expected Ahmond to have joined her. Instead, she was sniffing dirt and rocks.

Since she liked rocks, Lilu threw one at Ahmond to get her attention. The coywolf frowned, before jumping over.

Refocusing, Lilu advanced.

Something red flashed.

Her heartbeat quickened. "Huh?" She shook her head, and sniffed around, getting a musky scent. Pungent. A Wilder.

They barely got thirty minutes into their trip, and something was about to attack them. The hyena's ears shot up, and she scanned the shadows. Keeping herself away from unknown foes, she walked the middle of the lane, while Ahmond stuck to her side.

The trail wrapped around, and they crushed mushrooms underneath their feet, as Ahmond's breath got heavier and felt warm on Lilu's coat. As she was about to scold the coywolf for being so noisy, something brightened in her peripheral vision.

Lilu’s heart fluttered as she gasped and dropped. A flash of orange flew overhead, warming her back. The fireball hit a tree while Lilu attempted to locate the source.

Smoke curled from the base of the tree as the flames reached the canopy, and spread across the ceiling of the forest. Lilu shouted, "Who's out there? Show yourself, for the butt-kicking you're about to receive!"

A blood-red fox darted from a fern and charged.

Lilu froze for a second, before rising on her hind legs. She prepared to stomp the attacker, but she disappeared into flakes of embers.

Lilu bit her lip, while Ahmond gawked at the inferno.

The fox appeared in front of them, catching them by surprise.

The coywolf bit at her shoulder, but the fox dropped into a docile pose and uppercut Ahmond's jaw. The coywolf's teeth clicked, and she stumbled.

The fox approached Ahmond, but Lilu tackled her.

Both bounced off a dirt path, over several rocks. The stones jabbed into Lilu's side, as the fox released several yelps.

Lilu kept a good grip as they landed on soft earth. With a few grunts, she pinned the evildoer's shoulders. "Who are you?"

"You're the one invading my territory.”

She had wild, blue eyes. Lilu took her appearance in, a blood-red coat with dark blue ears and tail-tip, and realized that, despite the disgusting odor, she seemed well-groomed and well-fed. No visible ribs or anything.

"Too bad you're the one under me," Lilu said.

"Not for long."

The earth rumbled, and two stone pillars trapped Lilu's arms. She blinked, while the fox slipped from underneath her grasp.

As the hyena struggled, the fox stood by her backside. "There's only one punishment fit for someone who trespasses like you two!"

As Lilu realized she was prone, she yanked with all her might, almost dislocating her arm in the process.

The fox rubbed her paws together, sparks flying from them. The tunnel blazed in the background.

Then, the fox slapped Lilu's rump.

Lilu's eyes widened before the fox kept the process going. Jets of flames came from the backs of her paws as she unleashed a huge volley of spanks.

Screaming, shrieking, yelping, and yipping, Lilu yanked even harder than she probably physically should, straining her muscles, as she felt her bottom burn.

The fox stopped at a thousand spanks, leaving a burning butt in her wake.

"Now for the finale." The blaze from the tunnel swarmed over to the fox's rear, forming eight new tails. She jumped into the air, reaching full ascension when a bubble engulfed her.

Lilu gawked at the source, a cobalt blue fox. She almost thanked her, before the fox spat two more bubbles and trapped them.

The blue fox shook her head. "Cyras."

"No, we're not Kyra's," Ahmond said.

"That's my name," the blood-red fox said, slanting her eyes.

"You're going to let us out of here right now!" Lilu said, pounding on the walls, "got that? Or else, my mother will-"

Before she finished her sentence, the bubble floated farther into the air.

Lilu scratched at the surface, while everyone below shrunk to ant-size

"That bubble is unpoppable lass," the blue fox said. "You’re going to the sun."

Lilu's eyes bulged from her skull. She screamed. "Come on! You can't be real." The ground became distant. "Fine, please, please release me!"

"If you want.”

The bubbles popped. The three fell, with Lilu's impact sounding like a bomb dropped. While her butt still hurt from the slaps, Lilu didn’t feel searing agony. Instead, she felt something soft underneath her rear, and she saw Ahmond. "Thanks," Lilu said and stood, allowing the coywolf to re-inflate her lungs.

Cyras asked, "Are we going to kill them now?"

Lilu and Ahmond flinched.

The alpha chuckled at her friend, and said, "We're not killing any civics, lest they families be on us like sharks on chum. However, you still all owe me an explanation... Civics?"

"Civics?" Lilu asked. "Is that supposed to be some sort of derogatory term for those of us arriving from civilization, like Wysdom?" Lilu shook her head, her mane flying all over. "That's just rude."

"I can make a new bubble."

"I'm good."

With a flick of her brush, Ryvoh said, "Cyras, bring our prisoners with us."

Cyras saluted. "Aye aye, Captain Ryvoh!"

As the prisoner transportation went underway, Ahmond whispered to Lilu, "Ryvoh does the sea talk, but Cyras won't."

"Yeah, so?"

"No one in the wild speaks like that, or they shouldn't because that dialect comes from civilization and towns. Notice how she moves."

Cyras kept low, while Ryvoh took measured steps forward. "Erm... Like a fox?"

"Cyras slinks around, however Ryvoh takes longer, more prideful strides. Cyras' walking pattern is more of someone who's used to hiding, meanwhile Ryvoh's pattern is more someone who's used to showing their presence off."

"And I’m limping, and can barely breathe because Cyras almost broke a rib.”

“Basically,” Ahmond said, "Ryvoh's totally from Wysdom, and Cyras has never even been there before. You can even smell the conditioner of Oceania, which uses..." Ahmond listed ingredients that could be found in the wild, but Lilu lost the plot halfway through.

"Uh, so Ryvoh's from Wysdom?"

"And Cyras is not," Ahmond concluded.

The trees gave way to a field with a hole in the ground. "This is my den," Ryvoh said. "You can all remain here, for the night, and then you all have to return home."

Lilu frowned. She intended to stay away from Wysdom, however, better keep the peace while she had to.

Ryvoh walked off.

"Where are you going?" Lilu asked, hiding her glee.

"I walk at night," Ryvoh said. "Cyras, keep guard."

The younger fox sat at the entrance hole and bristled her fur. A field of tulips laid to her left.

As Ryvoh left over the horizon, Lilu said, “Look, I don't want to go back to my mother, so just let us go."

"Why would I?"

"Do you know how hard civilized living is?" Lilu asked. "We have schools, and clubs, and all this social stuff. We are all bound by certain laws and rules. We don't have the freedom to be ourselves, or do what we want because society would call you a pariah."

Cyras leaned forward. “So you can all play together, without fear of territorial disputes?”

Since she missed the point, Lilu continued with, "I have to learn how to bake bread-"

"Bread?"

Lilu said, "Basically, bread is ground-up wheat. You grind the wheat up and make something you can eat. And sometimes you put stuff on this, sweet stuff, to make cakes, or put sweet stuff inside to make pies."

Cyras licked her teeth, as she stared in the direction they came. "I'm sorry for your 'suffering', but I'd rather not get bubbled by Ryvoh."

Lilu growled but tucked her tail.

Ahmond grinned nervously. "At least we're still alive."

Lilu stared at Ahmond, making the coywolf retreat. As Ahmond huddled in a corner, she said, "Just saying."

The plan failed.

***

Ryvoh took the three away in the morning, despite her need for sleep.

Cyras sat in the empty den, still filled with the perfumed scents of Ahmond and Lilu. They were different. Big framed, well-fed, sickly sweet-smelling, and more like Ryvoh instead of wilders.

Something about the familiarity of the scents bothered Cyras, as she wondered about how much Ryvoh knew about civilization - for the blue fox only told her to stay away at all costs.

Ryvoh kept secrets from her, not even mentioning the basics of bread. And when someone is limited in worldview, they don't know what questions to ask. She never knew to ask about bread or other types of food.

Now she knew. She wanted to taste bread and go to a club. Sniffing the scents of the two, she pursued their trails. Sure, Ryvoh could track her scent and might encounter her, but Cyras would say she was just following Ryvoh.

Plus, this was only for a day.

[saviorfoxowlis]

Lore of N:Era

N:Era, or Next Era, is a series about a wild fox named Cyras who encounters a society of animals. (They are all feral, not anthropomorphic), and finds out she has more to do with the world than previously thought.

Cyras initially lives with her cousins, Ryvoh and Kryyk, her parents dead around the time of her birth. The hyena princess Lilu runs away from home from her overbearing mother with Ahmond the Coywolf, after Lilu realizes she's not qualifying for a Towers the Card Game tournament. However, both girls encounter Cyras on accident. She attempts to murder them for trespassing, but Ryvoh stops them.

Out of interest, Cyras follows the interlopers back to their homes, and finds out about houses, and roads, etc. She even gets into a small friendship with Ahmond and Lilu. She feels sympathetic towards the hyena who seems to be bullied by her mother, and she definitely triggers a lot of Cyras' alarms. They both bond over card games, fast food, and ice cream.

However, Lilu turns out to be little better, pranking Cyras, and making assumptions she's stupid because she's a "wilder". Cyras tells her off, making Lilu indignantly think that Cyras is in the wrong for not being able to take a joke. Her friend Rosod enables her for a while, as Lilu keeps preparing to win Towers the Card Game.

Cyras finally runs off only to run into the palace of Empress Owlis, the leader of Civics, and Goddess of Autumn. Cyras tries to fight her and murder her, however the Empress keeps pace and knocks Cyras out, before sentencing her to be jailed, paddled, and go through community service.

Cyras escapes community service and runs back to the Coastal Wilds, but is thrown out by Ryvoh after she mentions Owlis' name. Kryyk questions Ryvoh's judgement, but she sets him out to sea as Owlis appears. Ryvoh and Owlis have some unfinished business.

Cyras, still injured from her battle with Owlis, collapses outside in Summer's meadow, but Ahmond finds her and rescues her as a fugitive. Both help with facing Lilu in Towers the Card Game, and Cyras beats the hyena in the finals. However, guards come to arrest Cyras.

Lilu saves Cyras and admits she wasn't the best friend and that she's a horrible person, but Cyras says she thinks Lilu can work to be better. However, the winner of the tournament wins tea with the Empress, so all three face Owlis together.

Owlis reveals Cyras is actually daughter of Sumhyr, goddess of Summer. Cyras athiestically denies what Owlis says, but Owlis does tell her she is allowed in the palace. And all of her punishments will be levied if she agrees to join Team N:Era, protectors of the realm. Against her better judgement, Cyras says she'll join along with Lilu, however Lilu says she'll now go back home. She's tired of running away.